Second Chance at Love
by Catslynw
Summary: When Adora comes homes for a visit, she brings an old friend with her, turning life at the Eternian court on its ear. Will Teela realize her feelings for Adam in time, or will Queen Castaspella of Mystacore win HeMan’s heart?
1. Chapter 1

Second Chance at Love

Adam yawned, stretched his neck, stretched his shoulders and leaned back against his favorite fishing tree with a contented sigh. _Finally, I can relax. Finally._ Cringer immediately flopped down beside him and fell instantly asleep. Within no time the great green and gold tiger was chasing dream butterflies. _Go get 'em boy._ The prince yawned again, closed his eyes and joined his furry friend in somnolence.

He was certain that he couldn't have been napping for more than a few minutes when a strident voice pulled him from lumber. "Adam!" Teela yelled, practically shouting directly into his ear. "For heaven's sake, it's the middle of the day!"

Adam sighed wearily and forced his tired eyes to open. "I had noticed, Teela. You see, the funny thing is that the middle of the day is when people _usually_ take naps."

Teela snorted, placed her hands on her hips and said, "Yes, but first you have to do something to earn the nap. Now get up. It's time for our afternoon practice and I am certainly not going to carry you back to the palace."

The prince glared up at his oldest friend and playmate, suddenly feeling less than friendly. "And if I don't?"

His bodyguard folded her arms across her chest and stared at him, giving every indication that she was prepared to remain in that position for the rest of the day if necessary. _Great. _Adam groaned internally. _Just once, I'd like to be able to tell her that I already did my practice for the day with Skeletor. Just once._

Standing slowly in order to hide some of the stiffness in his muscles, Adam said only, "Fine. I'll meet you there."

"Oh no," Teela said, still glaring at him. "I know that trick. The minute my back is turned you'll disappear again. So you either come with me or I follow you."

Insulted and more than a little hurt by Teela's hostility, Adam squared his shoulders and marched for the home, leaving Cringer to finish his nap in peace. By the time the palace walls came into view, the prince could feel his shoulders beginning to droop. _I swear, I think I strained something when I threw that cart at Beastman. I better have Man-At-Arms take a look at me later._

When they reached the royal family's private practice yard, Teela immediately chose a weapon and shield for her prince, without consulting him, and tossed them at him. Adam caught them deftly enough, but his arm protested the weight of the shield sending small tendrils of fire shooting down his spine. _Maybe I should just walk away, _he thought lethargically. _It's not like she could have a lower opinion of me than she already does._

Mentally steeling himself against the pain that he knew was coming, Adam watched as Teela turned her back to him in order to choose her own armaments for their practice bout. His eyes lingered on her roan hair and he wondered yet again what it would be like to run his hands through those glorious locks, to pulls the pins and let it fall loose down her back, to - _STOP IT! _Adam rubbed his forehead, trying desperately to shake off the dream-like images that assailed him. _Just stop it. She deserves better than to have you pawing over her in your mind like some randy courtier. She's a seasoned warrior, Man-At-Arms' daughter and your oldest friend, so just keep yourself in check. _He turned his eyes away, staring at the enclosure wall. _Besides, even if she were the illiterate child of a cobbler, you still wouldn't have the right to undress -_

"Adam!"

The prince returned his gaze to his sparring partner, startled out of his introspection. "What?" he asked, uncertain whether she had said anything else while he stood there, daydreaming. "Yes, Teela."

Teela sighed, clearly exasperated with him. "Pay attention. I could have taken your head off just now and you would never have noticed.

"Sorry." He raised his sword and shield into position, but before Teela could make her first lunge at him, a familiar voice cut through the tense silence.

"Adam, Teela, I think you'd better skip the practice for today," Man-At-Arms said cheerfully. "We have guests."

The combatants turned in unison. "Adora!" the prince cried, amazed to see his twin sister standing beside Duncan, a huge grin on her face. They had the same brilliant blue eyes, the same golden hair and the same unshatterable bond. He barely had to drop his training sword and shield unceremoniously to the ground before he found himself enveloped in an energetic hug. "Ooof," he said, only half joking, as she hit him like a small, cuddly comet. He began, automatically, to swing her around but hastily aborted the gesture when his shoulder and arm muscles began to scream at him. Luckily, only Adora was close enough to hear his tiny gasp of pain.

"It's so good to see you," he said, before she could ask any questions he'd have trouble answering in front of Teela. "I've missed you tremendously."

She pulled back just enough to look into his care-worn eyes. "And I've missed you, Adam. Dreadfully." She smiled gently, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and, miraculously, he felt some of the metaphysical weight on his shoulders slide away. _I'm not alone anymore. _The next person that spoke shocked him so badly that he squeezed his sister until she squeaked and squirmed free of his grasp.

"It's lovely to see such a close family," she said in a warm and extremely feminine voice. "But you've hogged him long enough, Adora." Castaspella, the radiantly beautiful queen of Mystacore stepped forward and smiled shyly up at him. "Would it be terribly inappropriate, do you think, for me to ask for a hug as well, Prince Adam?" She placed her hands decorously behind her back and shifted her stance ever so slightly. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the proper Eternian etiquette and I wouldn't want to start a scandal."

For a moment, no one moved. Then, to Teela's intense surprise, Adam stepped forward, bowed and said, "Your majesty, I refuse to believe that you could ever require lessons in any kind of etiquette." Whereupon he took one of the stranger's hands, raised it to his lips and planted a delicate kiss upon the back. He continued to hold her hand for a ridiculously long time.

_What - ? _Teela thought. _Who is she?_

The woman's smile brightened and then widened still more when the prince reached forward and enveloped her in a swift and enthusiastic hug. "Castaspella it's good to see you," he declared as he released her.

"And you, Prince Adam," she replied, setting Teela's teeth on edge with the musical lilt in her voice. "I hope I - that is, I hope we haven't come at a bad time."

The stranger was also a redhead, but her hair ran more toward the auburn end of the spectrum and flowed down her back like molten copper. Her smile and complexion were flawless, her clothing well-fitted and spotless, making Teela suddenly and uncomfortably aware of the long day she had spent working and sweating in her own armor. _Castaspella? Why do I know that name? She doesn't look familiar to me. _The captain of the guard sniffed derisively. _What's she queen of, an Etherian dress shop?_

"All right, you two. Break it up," Adora said, stepping closer and slipping an arm around Adam's waste. "He's my brother, I get him first."

"I would never dispute _your _claim, Adora," Castaspella said, laughing while Adam -

_What in the world is he blushing for? _Teela thought, feeling her gorge rising with mounting annoyance. _Courtiers fawn over him like this every day. We'll just see about this. _"So," Teela said, stepping forward. "Is anyone going to make the introductions, or should I just guess the identity of our _guest_."

"Teela," Man-At-Arms said urgently, stepping quickly to her side, and giving her a look that said, louder than shouting, that she'd stuck her foot in her mouth. "This is Queen Castaspella of Mystacore." Then, more quietly, he added, "Don't you remember, you met her at the twins' birthday celebration earlier this year."

Teela could feel herself going scarlet. _Oh my... I did meet her. But there were so many - How was I supposed to - _Adam's eyebrows had climbed into his bangs and Adora was looking at Teela like she'd grown a second head. But that wasn't nearly as disconcerting as the stranger's reaction. Chin held high, Castaspella studied Teela with an unwavering regard, her steel gray eyes unreadable. Swallowing against her embarrassment, Teela said, "Yes, of course. Welcome to Eternia, your majesty. I hope everything is well on Etheria."

"Nearly everything," Castaspella answered, a small laugh evident in her tone.

The prince must not have heard the humor in their guest's voice because he immediately returned his eyes to the woman's face and reached out to take both her hands in his. "Castaspella, _is _everything all right. There's not some problem in Mystacore, is there?"

"Oh, Adam, you're always thinking of others." She gave small laugh, like tinkling bells as she gazed up into his face. "Everything is fine on - " Abruptly, the smile vanished and in its place was a look of deep concern. "But, oh, dear me, Adam you don't look at all well." So saying, she freed one of her hands from his and reached up to brush a lock of hair from his forehead and press one delicate palm to his high brow.

Teela crossed her arms over her chest and sighed gustily. _For pity's sake, this is the most appalling attempt to -_

"What?" Adora said, stepping around to get a better look at her brother's face. She must not have liked what she saw there because she frowned and then immediately slipped one of her arms back around his waist.

Adam shifted his feet in place, looking suspiciously guilty to Teela's practiced eye. "Ladies, I'm fine, really. I just - "

"You are not fine, your highness," Castaspella insisted, stepping to his other side and sliding her own arm around him. "Forgive me, Adam, I should have seen right away that you were unwell." Teela's jaw dropped. "Adora, where are his rooms? We should put him to bed instantly."

"Castaspella, please, I - " The prince sighed, suddenly drooping between his gallant supporters. "I have been feeling a little under the weather."

"Your too hard on yourself, Adam," Adora said, clearly tightening her grip on him. "Let's get you tucked in before you fall over."

He gave his sister a half-hearted smile. "Sorry, Adora. Rotten homecoming for you."

"Don't you worry about me," she said brusquely, giving him a quick hug and then letting go. "I'll lead, Casta, you make sure he doesn't fall over." The Etherian queen nodded and together the women escorted the prince from the practice yard.

"I'm not that badly off, really..." his words trailed away as they turned a corner and Teela lost control of her already thinning temper.

"Well," she snapped, throwing her hands in the air. "If that wasn't the most blatant display of - " She broke off as she caught a glimpse of her father's face. Man-At-Arms had one arm folded across the chestplate of his armor while he rubbed his chin with his other hand. There was a distant look in his eyes as he stared into empty space. "Father?"

"Hmmm?" For a moment there was no other indication that he was even aware of her presence, then crossing both his arms, he said, "I think I'll just go ask the royal surgeon to stop in and check on Adam. The boy did look awfully pale." He spared one quick smile for his daughter, said, "I'll see you at dinner. Dress for company," and then left her alone in the courtyard.

_What in all Eternia just happened?_

Less embarrassed than he would have expected to be, Adam allowed himself to be gently but firmly marched all the way to his private suite. The prince didn't really feel up to the polite chatter that he knew Castaspella would expect from him, but the Etherian sorceress and queen was uncharacteristically silent for the entirety of their brief journey through the halls. Still, not all communication passed in the form of words, and Adam couldn't help but notice the warm looks that Castaspella shot at him through her long, dark lashes.

Adora was also silent. Though she smiled and nodded at the people she passed, her generally grim and business-like expression did not invite interruption. There had been times in the past when Man-At-Arms had run similar interference on Adam's behalf, but the old campaigner didn't do it with nearly as much grace or beauty. The prince smiled gratefully down his sister's friend and was rewarded with a dimpling of her cheeks.

When they reached his door, Adam feared that he might have to resort to rudeness to keep Castaspella out of his rooms, but with her usual instinct for such things, the fiery-haired queen excused herself. "I'm sure that you and Adora have a great deal to catch up on," she said as she released her hold on Adam's waist, blushing slightly. "But do try not to stay up too late, your highness. You need your rest, and - "

"Don't worry, Casta," Adora said, taking the little queen's place at his side. "I'll make sure Adam gets his beauty sleep."

The prince grinned, but before he could speak one of Castaspella's eyebrows shot up and she drawled, "Now, Adora, don't be silly. The last thing you brother needs is _beauty _sleep." Then, flashing one last quick smile at Adam, the Etherian sorceress turned and strolled away. The prince's eyes followed her progress as she moved steadily away.

"For heaven's sake," Adora grumbled as she bumped Adam's door open with her hip and drew him rapidly inside the room. "She is incorrigible." The prince stumbled coming across the threshold, but his sister's quick reflexes kept him upright and off the floor. Laughing, Adam turned in her arms, easily changing her desperate clutch into a brotherly hug.

"I've missed you, Sis."

"And I've missed you, Brother."

For a moment, Adam seriously considered suggesting that they stay in that position for the rest of the day, but an untimely yawn marred the beginning of his speech. Adora pulled away, took a step back and peered closely at his face. The prince resisted the urge to fidget as his sister's expression underwent an all too familiar transformation. "All right," she said in what he recognized as her Horde Force Captain voice. "What's going on, Adam? You really do look like someone could push you over with a feather."

The prince shrugged. "I'm fine, Adora, really I - " He broke off as she favored him with a flinty-eyed glare. "Okay, Sis. You win," he said as he walked over to his favorite chair and lowered himself gingerly into the deep cushion. "I'm feeling pretty run down."

Adora came over and perched on the edge of an ottoman, facing him. "Has something serious happened?" she asked, concern writ plainly on her fair face.

Sighing, Adam leaned his head against the chairback and closed his eyes. "No, no, nothing... significant. It's just been one little thing after another. First Trap-Jaw attacked a mining town in the Mystic Mountains, then Beastman was harassing campers in the Evergreen Forest, Skeletor attacked Grayskull with some ridiculous, mysterious artifact for the hundredth time and then Evil-Lyn attacked a magical academy in - " Adam opened his eyes and stared into the distance, brow furrowed. "The school was in the city of - " He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "Terrific, I can't even remember the name of the city."

"Somehow, I still don't think you've told me everything," Adora said, managing to sound stern and concerned at the same time.

_How can she be so much like Mother when they've barely had the chance to know one another? _Adam raised his eyes to his sister's worried face and gave her a reassuring smile. "No, you're right, that isn't everything. But the rest is just more of the same."

"How long has this been going on?" she demanded.

The prince tried to stifle a yawn and failed. "I'm not sure since I didn't start counting right away, but I think there have been twenty to twenty-five attacks in roughly three weeks."

"Adam!" his sister shouted, sounding more outraged than he'd ever heard her before.

_What did I do? _He blinked, rubbed his gritty eyes and stared at her, unable to fathom why she seemed so angry and why her ire was directed at him. When he didn't speak, she stood up, hands on her hips and loomed over him.

"What?" he asked, mildly alarmed by the return of her force captain demeanor.

She took a deep breath, as if to calm herself, then said, "Why didn't you ask for help?"

"Help? But, Sis, there was nothing that merited - "

Stomp! "You should have sent for me, Adam! Look at you! You can barely keep your eyes open!"

_I don't need this right now. I just - _Adam stood, forcing Adora to either step back or collide with him. She backed away, but her hands did not leave her hips, and her lips were set in a thin line. "I keep telling you, I'm fine. I'm just tired. You know what it's like around here. Adam disappears and everyone expects him to be well-rested when he reappears. I'm starting to think that I'll have to take an inn room as He-Man just to catch up on my sleep. At least that way, no one would ask why I'm being so lazy!" Adam threw his arms into the air and immediately regretted the movement as the muscles of his back clenched and spasmed. He hunched over instinctively, felt something in his back shift oddly, and then pain sent him down into darkness.

"Adam!" Adora gasped, as her brother sank toward the floor. She'd been half expecting a collapse, however, and she was able to catch him in time to slow his descent and prevent his head from striking any of the furniture. He was unconscious and completely limp in her arms, his head lolling against her shoulder. "Oh, my brother, what have you done to yourself?"

She briefly considered trying to lift him onto his bed, but he was nearly twice her weight and she was afraid she might hurt him further if she made the attempt. Calling for help also seemed like a poor idea since the royal surgeon might ask awkward question about the source of the prince's malady. _This looks like this is a job for She-Ra. _After lowering Adam gently to the floor, Adora stood, drew her sword, and called on the mystical power of the Ancients.

"For the honor of Grayskull!" Magical energy filled and transformed her. Within moments, Princess Adora of Eternia had been replaced by She-Ra, champion of all things good and just, defender of two worlds. Bending her knees, She-Ra crouched down and lifted the still unconscious prince into her arms. She carried him swiftly to the bed where she sat beside him and invoked the healing power of the Sword of Protection.

His back was a maze of agony. Knots, like deep wells of pain, pervaded his muscles. Strained tendons and torn ligaments seemed to be the norm rather than the exception. And in his lower back _- There's something dreadfully wrong with his spine, _She-Ra realized, her alarm growing with the catalogue of injuries. _Oh my poor brother. _Placing one hand over his heart and the other on his forehead, she whispered a fervent prayer. "Let your wounds be healed."

The damage was extensive and the healing took far longer than she was accustomed to, depleting her energy at a rapid rate. She-Ra did not care. All that mattered was easing her brother's pain in any way she could. When, at last, she was finished, she collapsed to the bed beside him, an arm thrown across his chest, her cheek pillowed on his shoulder.

Castaspella walked quickly through the halls of the Eternian palace. Everywhere she went, her eyes were met by wondrous sights, but her thoughts were resolutely focused on an inward landscape... and a certain face. _Of all the times for Adam to be ill. _She sighed disconsolately. _The poor darling has clearly been working too hard. But, oh, couldn't he have been sick another time? Some time when I wasn't visiting perhaps?_

She shook her head as she turned a corner, seeking the suite of rooms that Man-At-Arms had arranged for her use. _Such an attitude does you no credit, Castaspella, _she chastised herself. _Prince Adam has been a good and noble friend to you, to Mystacore and to all of Etheria. You should be more concerned for him than for yourself and any plans his indisposition may have scuttled._

The more she dwelled on the prince's sudden illness, the more worried she became, and by the time she reached the hall in which her suite was located, her hands were wringing at each other. _Oh, Adam..._

"Are you lost, mistress?"

"What?" The queen of Mystacore blinked in surprise at a servant. The adolescent girl was regarding her with no little concern.

"Are you all right, mistress?" she asked. "Are you lost?"

The wizardess scowled causing the younger woman's eyes to widen in alarm and causing the foreign queen to castigate herself once more. _Yes, Castaspella, by all means, frighten the servants. That will most certainly endear you to Adam._ Sighing audibly, she gave the girl a smile. "Forgive my poor manners," she said, triggering a further rounding of the girl's eyes. "I'm afraid I've lost my way, and it's made me quite cross with myself. I - may I ask your name, child?"

The girl smiled tentatively, and said, "My name is Liriam, mistress."

The queen beamed at her, by way of apology for her earlier rudeness. "Liriam, do you think you could point me in the direction of the Rose Suite? I was told that my things would taken there, and - "

"Oh!" Liriam cried. "Oh, you must be Queen Castaspella of Mystacore!"

She blinked, uncertain what to make of the girl's reaction. "Why, yes, I am. You've... heard of me?"

"Oh, yes, I - oh, but I would never - oh, your majesty, I would never gossip!"

"Of course not, Liriam," the wizardess agreed with a reassuring dimpling of her cheeks. "But tell me, how is it that you know of me."

"Why, you're friends with He-Man and She-Ra, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"And I heard you were a very close friend of Princess Adora and Prince Adam," The young girl added breathlessly.

_You have, have you? How interesting. I wonder, _she felt a grin spread across her face, _who has been speaking of me. Could it be - _"Why, yes, Liriam. They are very dear friends of mine. That's why I'm here, in fact, to visit them."

"Oh, that's wonderful! I mean - " The girl broke off, abruptly, flushing to the roots of her mousey brown hair. "I'm sorry, your majesty, blathering on like this. Please, let me escort you to the Rose Suite."

Castaspella nodded and allowed the girl to show her to her rooms. The suite, with its beautiful dark furniture of some red-toned wood and its snowy white linens, was everything that a visiting queen might expect for comfort and elegance. But the wizardess was not in the mood to appreciate the refinements at that moment. Without the girl's diverting presence, Castaspella's thoughts quickly returned to the reason for her visit. _Adam. I simply can't believe that he could become seriously ill without someone here noticing. He's the crown prince, for the Ancients' sake. No, _she reassured herself, sinking into a soft chair and resting her arms on the sides. _It must be something minor, some summer cold or such. Perhaps I can ease his suffering with a few carefully selected herbal remedies from home. I shall have to call my apprentice, Ariel and ask her to put together a suitable bundle for me. Grandmother's tea should turn the trick. _Her lips twitched as an amusing thought struck her. _You know, this situation might not turn out so badly. After all, what man can resist being nursed by a woman who - adores him?_

Humming lightly, the queen of Mystacore began a mental list of the amelioratives she wanted to send for. Whatever Adam didn't need, she would present as a gift to his mother, Queen Marlena. Now there was a woman whose closer acquaintance Castaspella was eager to make.

Adam awoke to find himself cradled by arms that were at once strong and gentle. He yawned and snuggled closer, feeling better than he had for a long, long time. "Wakey, wakey, Brother, dear."

Opening his eyes, the prince looked up into a familiar but unexpected face. "She-Ra!" Adam bolted upright and, laughing, she allowed him to pull away.

"What, not happy to see me?" she said, her royal blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"I'm always happy to see you, She-Ra, but - " _It's amazing how much alike she and Adora are. I can't imagine why other people don't see it. _He glanced around, and realized abruptly that they were both sitting on his bed. "How - why are you here? And what are we doing on the bed?"

"That's very good question," said Man-At-Arms, making them both jump as he walked in through the balcony door. They swiveled around, still on the bed, staring at him as he activated the forcescreen that sealed off the door. He regarded them sternly as he settled matter-of-factly into a bedside chair. "She-Ra, this isn't Etheria. This is a populous palace with no endless supply of trees to hide your activities. If you're going to spend time in the Crown Prince's bed chamber as She-Ra, you're going to need to take a few more precautions."

The champion blushed scarlet, her eyes very wide. Bristling, Adam opened his mouth, ready take his mentor to task for using such a tone with his sister, but She-Ra stopped the coming diatribe before it could start. Placing a soothing hand on her brother's arm, she looked sheepishly at Duncan and said, "Of course, Man-At-Arms. I'm sorry, I should have been more careful."

He nodded, then lightened his reprimand with a smile, which She-Ra returned. "Well, don't take it too much to heart. Adam is used to living under a good deal more scrutiny than you are. He can fill you in on some of the finer points of surviving a dual identity on Eternia."

"Can he?" She-Ra asked, her tone suddenly harsh. "Can he really?" Standing, the champion loomed over Man-At-Arms, hands placed squarely on her hips.

_Uh oh, _Adam thought, her demeanor making him decidedly nervous. "Ummm, Sis?"

Without taking her eyes from the older man's face, She-Ra said, "You stay out of this, Brother." Duncan, uncharacteristically, said nothing. "So, Man-At-Arms," his sister continued, her voice dripping with false honey, "Adam can tell me how to survive being a champion on Eternia?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm. Care to tell me how he's going to instruct me on that small matter when, as far as I can see, he isn't surviving at all?" she demanded, all but shouting.

"Sis!"

"Not now, Adam," they said in startling unison.

The prince sank back on the bed, arms crossed over his chest. "Fine," he grumbled.

"Well," She-Ra said, relenting enough to step back so Man-At-Arms didn't have to strain his neck, staring up at her.

"Actually, that's why I was close enough to hear you speaking from the courtyard below," Duncan said wryly. "I was on my way here. I assume you've already done your own special form of diagnostic?"

"Yes, I have," she said levelly, "and you're very lucky that Adam isn't in the Eternos Hospital right now. His back was very badly damaged."

The prince's brows knit. _Damaged? It hurt, but it wasn't damaged... was it? _"What do you mean I'm - "

"How seriously hurt is he?" Man-At-Arms asked, his warm brown eyes filled with dismay as he looked up at She-Ra.

"Am I in the room?" Adam asked, sounding peevish even to himself. They ignored him. Muttering, Adam placed a second pillow under his head, turned on his side and watched them, bleary-eyed.

Sighing, She-Ra stepped back and perched on the edge of the bed, just beside Adam's hip. "He was in a tremendous amount of pain, Duncan. So much, in fact, that he passed out at my feet. I've healed the actual injuries, but I can't heal fatigue, nor soothe away exhaustion. He's worn to a frazzle, and he has to have rest."

Fighting to keep his eyes open, Adam said, "I am not worn to a frazzle." His sister began to rub a hand along his back, but she did not otherwise acknowledge his comment. Man-At-Arms ignored him entirely.

"I agree, She-Ra. Adam needs rest. And, though you haven't said it, I know I failed him by not sending for you when I saw the first signs that he was tiring. I'm more sorry than I can say. I hate to think he's been in pain this whole time and I didn't even see it. He deserves better care from me, as his friend and as his teacher."

His sister's entire posture softened, and, leaning forward, she placed a hand lightly on Duncan's knee. "Now it's time for me to say, don't be too hard on yourself. Adam could have sent for me at any time, a matter I will personally take up with him later. And it's not your fault that he didn't bother to tell anyone he was injured."

"I'm not injured," he mumbled, finding it surprising difficult to make his tongue work as it should.

"Still - " Duncan began, then stopped, regarding Adam with an intensity that made the drowsy prince very nervous. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere?" he suggested. "Preferably with you as Adora."

"Yes, of course," She-Ra said, standing. Turning, she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her brother's cheek. "Have a good rest, Adam. You are on holiday as of this moment."

He tried to respond, but the effort it took was just too great. Burrowing into the pillow, he gave up the fight against sleep. His last conscious memory was of someone tucking a quilt around him.

Teela strode through the palace halls with absolutely no idea where she was going. She wasn't about to chase after Adam, his sister and his - _Who does she think she is? It was like I wasn't even there! And the way she kept pawing him. It was absolutely revolting!_

Veering suddenly, the captain stepped through an archway and found herself in one of the palace's many walled-in courtyards. This one featured a fountain, beds of flowers on raised terraces and marble benches set off by yet more greenery. Formed of cast bronze, the fountain depicted a young woman in the first bloom of youth. Long, wavy hair cascaded down her back to her rounded hips. A basket filled with large-petaled flowers hung from her left hand while her right hand held a single blossom up to her dainty nose. None of the sculpture's beauty was hidden from view, because all the water spilled from beneath the woman's equally dainty, slipper-shod feet. The sculpture, whoever the subject had been, was a vision of demure loveliness.

Overcome by an inexplicable wave of rancor, Teela lashed out, kicking the stone base of the fountain. Her toes vehemently protested the resultant collision. "Oww!" Teela shrieked. Embarrassed, she clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle a second exclamation. Then, she quickly glanced about for observers. Seeing none, the captain grit her teeth and hobbled over to one of the intricately carved marble benches that faced the fountain.

_Perfect. Just perfect. I can just hear the surgeon now. 'How did you break your foot, Captain? Was there an altercation with Skeletor?' And my just as absurd response. 'Why, no, doctor. I had a fight with a fountain. It attacked me, you know.' _Teela groaned as she removed her boot and carefully examined her foot for signs of damage. _They'd strap me to a bed and start psychotherapy if I said something like that. Adam would never let me live that down._

Biting her lower lip, Teela moved each of her toes in turn. Thankfully, she found no indication that any of the bones were broken. Satisfied that a trip to the palace hospital was not in order, she replaced her boot and leaned back on the bench, once more contemplating the offending sculpture. "I bet you never did a day's real work in your life," she said, addressing the frozen beauty. "So, hah!"

When her foot no longer throbbed with every little movement, Teela decided to complete the workout that the arrival of Adam's sister and his _friend _had so thoroughly interrupted. Standing, she began to stretch, working every muscle group in turn until her body was as limber as a cat's. Time slipped away as she went through several extra sets of push-ups, sit-ups and lunges.

"There, you see," she said to the bronze woman, stretching her arms over her head to smooth out the kinks generated by her exertions. "That's work. If you didn't just stand around all day, then you might - " The captain broke off abruptly as a distant bell tolled seven times. _Oh, no! I forgot!_

Abandoning her warmdown, Teela dashed for the royal dining hall. Dinner began promptly at seven bells, so she was already going to be late. Her long legs ate up the distance; however, and when she arrived the others were only just beginning to seat themselves. Stopping in a shadowy doorway, Teela was struck by how... formal everyone looked. Queen Marlena was wearing her customary forest green, but the gown was a new one. King Randor and her father were similarly decked out. Even Princess Adora, whom Teela had never seen wear anything other than pants or leggings, had donned a skirt. And as for their _guest - _Queen Castaspella wore something long, flowing, and extremely feminine in the exact shade of blue of Prince Adam's eyes. The prince himself was late, but that was hardly surprising. Unlike the captain of the guard, Adam was always late.

Eying them all, Teela suddenly recalled her father's admonition to _dress _for dinner. When Man-At-Arms made a request of that nature, he expected it to be followed. _How could I forget! _she wailed, internally. _Father's going to be furious! _Turning before any of them caught sight of her, Teela dashed away.

She reached her suite in record time and began stripping off bits of her uniform before the door had even swung all the way shut behind her. Ripping open the wardrobe, she rummaged madly for an appropriate costume. _Too short! Too stained! What was I thinking when I bought this? Too tight! Too - aha! _Grinning, she pulled a gown of shimmering gray morassa silk from the very back corner of the wardrobe. It had fallen from its hook at some unknown point in the past, but it was, miraculously unwrinkled. _Or maybe it's not so miraculous. Father bought this for me, after all, and he knows what I'm like._

_I should be back to the dining hall in no time at all. _Finding the opening for her neck, Teela positioned the dress and raised it above her head. Before she could put it on, however, a horrifyingly familiar odor assailed her nostrils. _OH ANCIENTS! _Dropping the gown unceremoniously to the floor, she darted into her bathing chamber and stepped into the sonic fresher. _If only I had time for a real bath... but this will have to do. _Gritting her teeth against the unpleasant vibrations that she knew were coming, Teela hit the controls and activated the unit.

Less than a minute later, she stepped out of the fresher squeaky clean and feeling as those her brain had been rattled about in her skull. Her loosened hair hung about her shoulders as she sprinted back into the bedroom, grabbed up the fallen dress and pulled in rapidly on. She tried finger combing her hair, realized it was a hopeless waste of time, and attacked it with her brush, losing more precious seconds. When she was done, it crackled around her face, glinting in the light from her open window. Satisfied, she started for the door, only to turn back as she realized she'd forgotten one key item.

Kneeling beside the wardrobe, Teela dug underneath it for the shoes she knew had to be there. Several old pairs of boots were piled beside her by the time she located a pair of slippers that were appropriate for her current garb. Hopping slightly, she pulled them on. Before leaving, she paused before her full-length mirror to be certain she hadn't overlooked anything else.

The gown was floor-length, but the toes of the slippers peeked out at her. With its cap sleeves, square neckline and tight, high bodice, the dress showed off both her tan and the muscles in her arms to full advantage while remaining quite feminine. _Father is a genius._

Though she fought to keep herself to a sedate walk, Teela found it very difficult not to run the entire way back to the dining hall. When she arrived at last, the second course was well underway. Most of the diners were laughing, but her father's face wore a decidedly cranky expression. Plastering a large serene smile onto her own face, Teela stepped into the room.

"Good evening everyone. Please forgive me for being late. I'm afraid I was unavoidably detained." She exchanged a quick smile with her astonished father, cast a covert glance in the Queen of Mystacore's direction and continued her progress toward the table as the ladies mumbled appropriate greetings.

As she walked around to her chair, Teela couldn't help but notice the stunned looks that the royal family was giving her. Finally, King Randor cleared his throat and said, "That's quite all right, Captain. I'm sure you had good cause." Her father remained disconcertingly silent as he continued to stare at her.

Taking her seat, Teela scanned the faces at the table and observed one noticeable absence. _Where is he? This is so typical of him! _A servant placed a bowl of creamy soup before her, but she ignored. "Isn't Adam coming?" she asked, annoyance ringing in every syllable.

"_Prince _Adam will not be joining us," Duncan said, startling her with his emphasis on the title. "He is feeling unwell and has been confined to his bed by the royal surgeon."

Teela felt her eyebrows rising. "He has? But, I thought - " She broke off as her father gave her a distinctly repressive look. Dropping her eyes to her bowl, Teela began to stir her soup listlessly. _He's actually sick? But...Adam's never sick._

"Don't worry, dear," Marlena said, apparently picking up on her distress. "I'm sure Adam will be ready to resume his lessons in a few days."

"Yes, you highness," Teela said meekly, raising her eyes and smiling gratefully at the queen. _How can he be sick?_

"Now," said the king, "Please continue with your tale, your majesty. It sounds like you had quite an interesting adventure."

"Yes," the wizardess said as she regarded the King of Eternia with a twinkle in her eyes. "But, your highness, won't you, won't both of you," her gaze shifted to take in the queen as well as the king, "please call me Castaspella? Adora has spoken of you both so often that I feel as though I've known you for years." She paused for a moment to favor Man-At-Arms with a dazzling smile which he - _traitor! _- returned. "After all, Duncan already calls me Castaspella."

"Why, I would be delighted," Randor replied, sounding quite touched by the request. "And you must call me Randor."

When the Etherian turned her twinkle on Marlena, the Eternian queen said, "I should be just as happy to forego the titles we all encumber ourselves with. Please call me Marlena."

"Oh, good," Adora chimed in. "Now I can stop worrying about being proper. Military titles are all well and good, but I tend to lose track of the noble designations after a while. I must know too many royals."

Castaspella gave a tinkling little laugh. "You do keep an odd assortment of company, Adora. Why, in addition to kings and queens you're quite good friends with beggars, burglars and a... "

The wizardess continued to speak, but Teela stopped listening. _Is it my imagination, or am I the only one who hasn't been asked to skip the titles? _Scowling, she scooped up a spoonful of soup and shoved it in her mouth. It was delicious, as always.

Keeping just enough of her awareness on the conversation to know if someone spoke to her, Teela directed the rest of her energies toward her food. Midway through the meal, Man-At-Arms excused himself, saying that he would go check on the prince. Randor nodded and then returned his attention to their visitor.

"Yes, I remember meeting Bow last year, when he attended the twins' birthday celebration," Randor commented, though Teela wasn't certain what the remark was in answer to. Then, drolly, he added, "The poor fellow does seem to be rather outnumbered on Etheria. It must be quite dreadful for him to be surrounded by beautiful women day in and day out."

"Yes," Castaspella agreed in mock sympathy. "I believe he finds Adam's visits to be a great relief. Why, when Adam comes calling, the ladies of Etheria quite forget Bow's existence in their eagerness to catch the prince's eye."

Teela's eyes widened. _Oh, really? So that's why Adam spends so much time on Etheria these days. And to think, I actually thought it was sweet that he wanted to spend so much time with his sister. That rat._

Adora chuckled and the queen grinned, but Randor suddenly looked stern. "Don't tell me that son of mine has behaved inappropriately on Etheria. I'll not have it. I simply won't have him acting the playboy with - "

Marlena and Adora were both stunned into silence by the king's unexpected outburst, but Castaspella jumped in before he could say anything further. "Oh, no, your highness!" she exclaimed. "Adam is the very soul of chivalry and courtesy. He treats every woman he meets with the same flawless graciousness whether she's a tavern wench or a queen." The wizardess blushed. It was disgustingly becoming on her. "That's why every - I mean, why so many ladies on Etheria have quite lost their hearts to him."

"Oh," Randor said, his own skin glowing red with embarrassment. "I see.

Teela gaped at both of them and noticed Marlena and Adora exchanging an odd look. _How brazen can you get! Just what is she up to? The way she's sucking up to Randor, she must want something. Maybe she's after a treaty, help fighting the Horde or something. Well, whatever it is, I hope she chokes on it. Flawless graciousness my foot._

Vexed, the captain stabbed at a chicken breast and promptly lost her grip on her fork. It bounced off the side of the plate, tapped her water glass loudly and then clattered to the floor. Teela groaned internally as she felt herself flush crimson. _At least it didn't land in my lap. _She bent down to retrieve the fork and nearly collided with one of the servers. The young man beat her to the utensil and then whispered, "I'll get you another one, Captain."

Chagrined, Teela smiled and thanked him. Then, looking back at the others, she noticed three things. Her father had returned. Orko was with him. And the attention of her fellow diners was universally focused on Queen Castaspella as she regaled them with a story of the Etherian rebellion. Even Adora, who from the sound of it was the heroine of the piece, appeared to be entranced by the wizardess' oration.

_No one even noticed, _Teela realized. _No one saw me drop anything. _She scowled at her plate, uncertain whether to be pleased or infuriated by the lack of response to her gaffe. _Would they take note if I fell out of my chair? _Adora laughed at some witty comment of Castaspella's, stifled it, laughed all the louder and was rapidly joined by her parents, Duncan and Orko. Teela scowled at them all impartially, then stood and excused herself from the table.

"I'll just go check on Prince Adam now," she said. Her father waved a hand vaguely in her direction, and Queen Marlena nodded a fleeting thank you. No one else responded. Turning smartly on her heel, the captain of the Eternian guard marched away, desperately wishing that slippers made a more impressively militaristic sound impacting on marble floors.

Since she doubted it would actually relieve any of her spleen, she refrained from kicking fountains, tables and other innocent inanimate objects as she strode through the palace halls. But the dubious looks that she threw like daggers at those guards on the evening watch made her feel somewhat better. _If their consciences weren't guilty, they wouldn't have any reason to look so alarmed. Hmph._

Upon reaching Adam's room, Teela knocked lightly so as not to wake him if he was, in fact, sleeping. When there was no answer, she quietly opened the door and slipped inside. The interior lights were all off, but twilight shadows from the open windows shifted across every surface. The atmosphere of the chamber was so still, so hushed that she found herself breathing shallowly as she approached the bed and gazed down at her sleeping friend.

He lay on his back, an arm thrown across his chest, his head tiled to the side, breathing quietly through his slightly parted lips. It was true that Adam napped frequently. Sometimes, she reflected wryly, it felt as if he napped constantly. But those drowsy hours were usually spent under a tree by the river or lying on patch of grass in one of the palace gardens. Teela could not recall the last time that Adam had retired for the night before the sun was even down. Not to his own bed. Not like this.

_His eyes do look shadowed, _she thought, leaning down and peering closely at his face. _But that could just be the darkness of the room. Hmmm... _She leaned still nearer, carefully studying his somnolent features. She supposed that, in repose, Prince Adam had the classical beauty of a young god. He was almost, if the truth be told, as handsome as He-Man. Teela snorted softly. _Maybe that's why he sleeps in public so often. That way all the courtiers can see how gorgeous he is. Not that he's ever had to work hard to catch any of them._

Still, Teela far preferred the way he looked when he was at home in his own head. To see those blue eyes sparkling with life, the smile flashing as he thought up yet another scathing retort for whatever jest she'd hurled at him most recently - that was how she would always see him. _Vibrant. That's a good word for Adam. He's got vibrant down pat._

But no one could be vivacious day in and day out, not even a carefree prince. Especially not an ailing prince. _Father never did say what was wrong with him, _Teela recalled as she pulled up and straightened a quilt that had fallen down past Adam's waist. _It can't be anything too serious or he'd be in the hospital instead of sleeping untended in his own rooms. Still, I think I'll just stop by in the morning and check on him._

As she tucked the blanket into place around his shoulders, the prince stirred, muttering something unintelligible in his sleep. Abruptly, it occurred to Teela how wretchedly embarrassing it would be for the captain of the guard to be found in Prince Adam's bedchamber, apparently ogling the sleeping heir to the throne. The fact that they'd been friend since before either of them could walk wouldn't matter one jot to the more determined gossips.

"Shush..." she whispered. "Go back to sleep. Everything's fine." Struck by inspiration, she leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead, an action she'd seen the queen perform countless times. He shifted slightly and she missed, catching him on the corner of his lips instead. _Oh, my..._

Adam made a soft sort of humming sound and turned his head, placing his mouth squarely under hers. Their lips brushed as he breathed. It could hardly be called a kiss, but Teela felt tingles run from the back of her skull to the base of her spine. _Ancients! _How could her body be frozen in place and feel so warm all the same time? Her eyes closed of their own accord. Then, to her surprise, he spoke.

"Mmm... " he mumbled. "No."

"Adam?" she asked, pulling back hurriedly. _What have I done? How could I?_

The prince's eyes were still closed and his head rolled to the side, turning away from her. "Go away, Frosta," he muttered. "Sleepy."

Teela jumped back so quickly that she barked one of her calves on the edge of a bookcase. _Frosta? _She blinked, raised and hand and scrubbed at her lips. _Frosta! That - that - that louse! _Spinning about, she marched to the door, yanked it open and stomped away. _How could he kiss Frosta? _She reached up and angrily brushed water from her eyes. _Stupid allergies._

Prince Adam was munching on toast, enjoying a late breakfast in bed when someone rapped softly on his door. Carefully brushing crumbs from his fingers and quickly wiping his mouth with a napkin, he called, "Come in." _About time Adora showed up to see her big -_

Adam's thoughts broke off with an internal squeak when he saw that his visitor was not, in fact, his sister. Blushing, he pulled at the deep V-neck of his pajamas, futilely trying to cover more of his chest. "Queen Castaspella, umm, come in, your highness."

With a slight smile on her lips and a basket slung over one arm, the wizardess strolled regally into the room. She slowed abruptly, clearing taking in his state of partial undress. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, her eyes twinkling, she raised an eyebrow and said, "Good morning, Prince Adam. Is now a... bad time?" There was a distinct, though not quite offensive, tinge of humor to her words.

Flushing to the very roots of his hair, Adam resisted the urge to fold his arms protectively over his chest. "It's never a bad time to see you, my lady. Please, have a seat." He indicated an armchair beside the bed. _I spend half my time trotting around in less clothing than this as He-Man. There's nothing to be embarrassed about for goodness sake. Nothing at all. _Smiling, he cleared his throat and began nervously straightening the dishes on his lap tray. "Ummm, forgive me for not rising, your majesty, but I have been confined to bed until I finish my meal."

"No apologies, Adam," she said as she took the designated chair. Unlike him, Castaspella was dressed for the day. She wore a blue and silver tunic with leggings and boots. The color combination perfectly complimented her eyes, and she looked quite... _lovely._

Then she made a little "tsk" sound and frowned theatrically at him. "I thought we were on a first name basis. Was I mistaken?"

"No, of course not," the prince hastily reassured her. "I just... well, I don't usually..."

Castaspella dimpled at him. "Adam," she lilted, "are you saying you're unaccustomed to receive ladies in you boudoir?" Her eyes danced as his blush deepened.

The prince scowled briefly at her, then his eyes fell to his lap and the remains of his meal. He began fidgeting once more with his silverware. "Yes," he said simply. "Yes, I am. It's not something I usually do."

The Etherian queen laughed, set the basket on the floor beside her, leaned closer and placed a hand on his leg through the bedding. "You're so adorable when you're discomfited."

"Casta!" Adam gasped, barely managing to hold back a full on shriek. _Adorable! Fabulous. I sound like a puppy. _Her fingers lingered, making lazy circles on the blanket and the prince felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Uh... Adam cleared his throat. "So, what's in the basket?" he asked, shifting backward slightly, sitting up straighter, and - incidentally - pulling his leg out from under the wizardess' caress.

Castaspella sighed softly and placed the basket on the edge of the bed. Then, deftly creating an empty space on his breakfast tray, she set out a cup and saucer, a spoon, an unmarked tin the size of a pack of playing cards, a small bottle of what looked to be cream, a thermos - roughly double the size of the cream bottle, a fresh linen napkin, and a stick of cinnamon.

"What's all this?"

"My grandmother's cure for whatever ails you, the sovereign remedy."

"Oh?"

"Good for stiff backs, sore muscles, flagging constitutions, eye strain, headaches and any number of other problems."

The prince raised an eyebrow and regarded her dubiously. _Oh, really..._

"Don't be so skeptical, Adam," Castaspella said, waggling a finger at him. "I'll have you know that my grandmother taught me nearly everything I know about potion making."

The prince's eyes widened. "Is this a potion?" he asked as she opened the tin, tilted it over the cup and tapped it until a small quantity of some dark, flaky substance fell out. He peered curiously at it.

"Don't be silly, Adam. This isn't a potion. This is an herbal infusion. There's no magic in it... except a dash of love and caring."

His eyebrows climbed higher of their own accord. _Love? Whose? How? What love?_

She dimpled at him again and flushed lightly. "My grandmother's love, I mean." She cleared her throat self-consciously, unhooked the top of the thermos and half-filled the cup with hot water. It immediately turned a startling shade of dark red.

"Tea?" he asked, understanding dawning at last.

"Not technically speaking," Castaspella replied, sounding a bit like Man-At-Arms in lecture mode. "As there is no actual tea in the mix, it is simply an herbal infusion." She rattled off a list of ingredients, many of which he'd never heard of before. "I grow and harvest the herbs myself."

Adam grinned and picked the tin up, his fingers brushing briefly against hers. "Do you also mix the infusion, my lady?"

"Yes," she murmured, turning an absolutely charming shade of pink. "I complete every step of the process myself."

"Ah, I see," the prince said, his smile widening as he studied his visitor. "Is that how the love gets in?"

Castaspella flushed darkly and her hand trembled slightly as she stirred the tea. The cup rattled. "I, well, I - "

"I'm sorry," Adam said, hurriedly dropping the tin to the bed and rescuing both the cup and saucer from her shaky grasp. "It was unkind of me to question you. I'm sure the tea is wonderful." That said, he gave it one last stir and took a hasty gulp.

The world imploded.

"Adam, no!" Castaspella cried, reaching for the cup as he gasped for breath. Retrieving the tea, she returned it to the tray and began to pat him on the back as he coughed and sputtered. "Oh, you darling fool! You mustn't drink it straight!"

"By the," wheeze, "grace of," wheeze, "Eternia!" _Couldn't I just die now? It would be kinder. Oh, my head! _The prince's eyes were watering, and she grabbed the clean napkin and began to dab at them.

"Oh, Adam..." she trailed off into a tinkle of laughter, and he found himself restraining the urge of strangle her. But the longer she laughed, the funnier it seemed. Soon his gasps were interspersed with chuckles, and in the end they clung together, giggling madly.

"That is the most _horrendous _concoction I have ever tasted," Adam declared between laughs. "What are you trying to do to me?"

"Cream, silly! You drink it with cream or milk. _Lots _of cream or milk."

"Well the way it is now, you could use it to strip rust!" he groused, still wheezing periodically. "Either that, or sell it as whiskey substitute."

"I have," Castaspella said, snickering. "It took the rust right off one of my favorite kettles."

That announcement brought on fresh gales of laughter, and it was some time before either of them had recovered sufficiently for the wizardess to prepare him a proper cup of the sovereign remedy, topping it off with a broken off bit of the cinnamon stick.

Eyes wide, Adam sipped warily. To his surprise, the tea tasted quite good, neither too sweet nor too tart. There was still a hint of the fire that had left him breathless minutes before, but now it sent tendrils of warmth coursing through his body. Oh, wow. He relaxed back against his pillows, cupping the drink between his hands.

"Mmm... This is great!" he admitted, earning a dazzling smile from Castaspella. "Does it have a name?"

"We just call it Grandmum's Tea," she said, her gaze locked with his. "I use the infusion in my baking as well. It's really quite good for," her eyes dropped, suddenly, "any number of things. I'm glad you like it."

Adam drained the last of the tea, set the cup down on his tray and reached for her hand. Her fingers were incredibly small between his. Her gray eyes rose, unreadable, to meet his gaze. _So much power in such a small, lovely package. I better watch my step or I'll wind up as an Etherian frog. _"I love it," he said. "It was kind of you to - "

Someone knocked sharply and Adam drew back, not wanting to risk embarrassing Castaspella. She immediately picked up the fallen tin and began making him a fresh cup of tea, bending a suspicious amount of focus to the simple task.

"Come in," he called. The door swung open and Teela stood there, framed by the doorway, holding a potted plant in her arms.

"Teela! Come in, come in. You look, umm, energetic today." The Prince of Eternia grinned, his smiling blazing in its brightness. "Have a seat." He patted the bed beside his legs.

Castaspella listened in mild annoyance as Adam enthusiastically greeted his Amazonian bodyguard. After taking a quick, seemingly habitual glance around the room, Teela strode in with all the grace and athleticism of a wild wolf. _No fair damsel she. More like the dragon._

Though she kept her face steadily directed lap-ward, the wizardess gazed at the prince through her lashes. Not for the first time, she noted the odd transformation that seemed to come over him in the presence of his childhood friend. His eyes went strangely bright, his sweet smile became clownish and the torso that had been so straight only moments before developed a pronounced slouch. Yet, at the same time, his whole being tensed, taut as a bowstring waiting to be drawn.

_She makes him come alive, but it's almost as if he were someone else. What spell does Teela _hold _over him? What magic? _Castaspella grit her teeth. _I'll break it. Whatever binding she has on him, I'll break it!_

Raising her chin, the Etherian queen pointedly watched the Eternian captain's approach. From the way the other woman bristled, she was clearly aware of the scrutiny and just as clearly irritated by it.

"Good morning, your majesty," Teela said dryly, followed by, "Hello, Adam." She brandished the plant, a broad-leafed fern with tiny but exquisite yellow blossoms. "This is for you, a get well present."

The prince perked up, his back straightening slightly, his face shining with pleasure. "Teela, you didn't have to get me anything, but I appreciate the thought."

The captain paused in the middle of depositing the plant on top of a bureau, her face becoming exceptionally stiff. It was not so unreadable, however, that Castaspella couldn't see the look of dismay that flashed across the disagreeable features or the subsequent setting of the woman's jaw. _She's upset about something... but what? What did Adam say just now to upset her? _From his vantage point on the bed, the wizardess doubted the prince could see his friend's face.

"Be serious, your highness," Teela snapped, still facing away from Adam as she fussed about, rearranging the other items on the bureau to make room for the plant. "These are from Ram-Man. He obviously doesn't know that you shouldn't encourage malingerers. I was on my way to see how _sick _you really were when I relieved a servant of her burden. So don't thank me."

Castaspella was stunned speechless by the casual verbal assault upon the prince and even more stunned by his reaction. He paled, swallowed, and said not a word. When Teela finally turned to face him, the light in his eyes had been all but extinguished. An indescribable stillness came over him, as if he were trying to hide in plain sight. It was like watching someone turned slowly to stone.

_Why doesn't he defend himself? Why does he tolerate such abhorrent treatment by this - this harpy? _The wizardess greatly feared that she knew the answer to both questions. _Oh, Adam, not her. Don't waste your love on her. Can't you see she hasn't any heart?_

"Well, _your highness, _just how long are you going to play sick?" Teela demanded, her tone as contemptuous as any the Etherian queen had ever heard. "If you laze around for days, you'll lose what little progress you've made in your training, and we'll have to start completely over."

Adam blinked repeatedly, but he showed no other overt signs of distress. "I'll be at practice today, Teela. I'm sorry I missed yesterday's - "

"You will do nothing of the kind!" Castaspella cried, unable to restrain herself and uncertain she really wanted to anyway. "You were told to rest. You mustn't risk your health."

Adam flushed and opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Teela screeched, "Risk himself? By learning to defend himself? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

Castaspella stood, bolting up out of her chair and placing her closed fists firmly on her hips. "Ridiculous is it? The palace surgeon told Adam to stay in bed, and that's what he's going to do!"

"But Casta - " Adam began, only to be cut off by Teela.

"Who made you his keeper?" she challenged, her eyes glinting dangerously.

_Want to fight, do you Eternian? Oh, don't I just wish I could have the pleasure of taking you down a peg or two. _"No one made me anything," Castaspella drawled. "But I'm Adam's friend and I won't stand quietly by and watch you bully him into hurting himself!"

"Casta! Teela! Please!" The wizardess noted, but had no time to address the panic she heard in the prince's voice.

_I'll apologize for making a scene later._

"Friend?" Teela repeated derisively. "Friend? He doesn't need a friend; he needs a nanny! His lessons are important! I'm trying to save his life!" That said, she stomped to the bed, sat down on its edge, folded her arms across her chest and glared menacingly at Castaspella. "What are _you _trying to do?" she asked suggestively.

Adam made a sound that strongly resembled a squeak. "Teela, please... " he pleaded.

"I don't think I like your tone, Captain."

"I know I don't like yours, your majesty." Somehow, the amazon managed to make the honorific sound like a slur on Castaspella's character, and the wizardess fumed.

_Jeer at me, will you? Deride my love, will you? Fine, fine. _Taking a long, slow breath, the wizardess managed to contort her features into a mock smile. "Adam," she said proudly, "does not require training in defense. He is one of the most intelligent and skilled fighters I have ever been privileged to meet."

Teela gaped at her - so did the prince for that matter - and Castaspella pressed her advantage. "He does, however, need a little kindness and compassion in his life. Something he has been sorely lacking."

Drawing power from a well deep within herself, the wizardess cast her gaze about the room, searching for an appropriate medium for the statement she wanted to make. Her eyes lit upon Ram-Man's gift. _Yes, naturally. _"You know, I think Ram-Man is a good friend and a very sensible one at that. Still, his idea can be improved upon." Smiling zealously, she released a tremendous burst of magical energy in the form of a spell so simple and so old that she could have done it in her sleep.

In an instant, every surface in the prince's bed chamber was coated with live, blooming flowers. It was like a wild, summer meadow with flowers of every shape, size and hue imaginable. _A riot of color to thrill the eyes. _Mindful of Adam's incapacity, however, Castaspella made the blooms such that they had no corresponding scent to play havoc with the prince's delicate health.

Castaspella watched delightedly as color climbed rapidly in the bodyguard's cheeks until she was flushed a brilliant red. Swiveling, the wizardess turned a dazzling smile on the spell's intended beneficiary. Her grin stuck firmly in the on position when she realized that she had, perhaps, gone a bit overboard with her spell. _Not that Adam doesn't look adorable with that daisy chain hanging rakishly across his temples, but..._

Dimpling her cheeks and crinkling her eyes, Castaspella caused the blanket of blossoms covering the prince and his bed to disappear. Snapping her fingers, she then caused all of the tea things to disappear and subsequently reappear on the bedside table. Then, leaning forward, she kissed a startled Adam on the brow, picked up his aging breakfast tray and departed the room with as much grace and decorum as a woman with daffodils sprinkled in her hair could muster.

_I hope he gives her what for! Honestly, she's the hardest creature I've ever met._

Teela could think of nothing to say - truth be told, she could think of nothing at all as the Etherian queen swept from the room. She stared, all but overwhelmed at the meadow-like effect that Castaspella's spell had left in its wake. _They're pretty, _one part of her mind noted absently while the rest of her screamed silently in frustration.

She turned toward the bed, a scathing insult for the prince on her lips, but it died unspoken. He looked neither triumphant nor amused by the scene he'd just witnessed. Instead he watched his bodyguard, the woman who was supposed to be his closest friend, with a subdued wariness that abruptly tore at Teela's heart. For several seconds they regarded each other in complete silence. Then, it hit her. _He's waiting for me to kick him again. He's just sitting there, waiting -_

_Oh, Elders, _she moaned internally, her brow knitting. _What did I say? What did I do? Oh, blast! _Without so much as a farewell, Teela strode rapidly out of the room. The moment she was out of sight, she broke into a run and dashed for her own quarters.

She threw herself down on the bed, grabbed a pillow and howled into it until her throat hurt. _What is wrong with me? _She kicked the bed repeatedly, writhing atop the covers. _I am such an idiot! It's not Adam's fault that Castaspella is a pushy, overbearing witch! She's his sister's friend for heaven's sake. What's he supposed to do, be mean to her?_

Teela's mind flashed back to the tableau that she'd walked on in such a short time earlier, with the queen of Mystacore drawn up close to the prince's bed. The Etherian's body language that screamed louder than words, "He's mine!" Another flash took her back to the day that Hordak abducted Adam to use as leverage against his precious sister. He had disappeared while standing beside Teela. She hadn't even considered the notion that he might be in real danger until the king set her to combing palace grounds for him. She'd been so furious, so outraged to be wasting her time in a pointless search. The hours of agony and uncertainty that had followed once they'd all realized that the prince was truly missing had been all but unbearable.

_Thank the ancients that She-Ra was able to help Adora rescue him. It would have killed the king and queen to lose either Adam or his sister, and Father would have been utterly devastated. I know he still blames himself for the princess' loss all those years ago. Losing Adam would be... _Teela shook her head. It didn't bear contemplation.

Then, just a few short weeks later, Adam had vanished again. But that time had been different. That time his abduction had been observed and recorded by the surveillance equipment that Man-At-Arms had littered the palace with. He'd feared that Hordak might try to kidnap Adam a second time, or even go after King Randor or Queen Marlena. When the prince did, in fact, vanish a second time, they'd all immediately jumped to the conclusion that Hordak and his vile minions were responsible. Teela shivered as she recalled the horror with which she'd watched the surveillance recordings, the giant, watery hand that rose up out of one of the palace's nature ponds, the way it had grabbed the sleeping prince and dragged him into the water, dragged him under. His unanswered cries for help when he awoke in the gollum's grip.

And then to learn that the whole fiasco was nothing more than a juvenile prank... and a joke perpetrated by a foreign queen with too much time on her hands and absolutely no concern for anyone's feelings but her own. _- How anyone could possibly be so childish and inconsiderate! I just can't understand why King Randor tolerates Castaspella's presence here. What can he be thinking?_

Teela ground her teeth. _That woman is just impossible! The way she hangs on Adam... _She grimaced as she recalled the words she'd exchanged with the wizardess in the prince's room. _I shouldn't have lost control like that. He is sick; I could see that last night. _She rolled over and stared at her ceiling. _And even if he was malingering, I shouldn't have insulted him in front of a visitor. He's my friend. He deserves better than to be maligned in front of the likes of her. _Teela kicked the bed again, venting her spleen on the only available target. _I'll apologize later. I swear. _She sighed. _Father keeps telling me that I need to learn to control my temper. Maybe he's right._

Shifting to the edge of the bed, Teela stood and walked into the bathroom. A long, hot soak would soothe away a multitude of sins. _I'll make it up to Adam. It's not his fault that all these vapid court butterflies chase after him. The ancients help the woman he finally marries because she'll be fending off lovesick girls for the rest of time. _Teela snickered. _Including Frosta._

_But Queen Castaspella of Mystacore is out of her magical mind if she thinks I'll let her have him. Oh no, not her._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Adora decided to join her brother for lunch that afternoon. When she entered his chamber, she had to stop for a moment and look back at the closed door to be certain she was actually in the right place. _This looks more like a garden than a bedroom! _The only surface not covered with flowers was the bed where Adam lay with Cringer curled up at his side. _Uh oh. It looks like Castaspella has decided to brighten things up._ The princess bit her lip. Still, it could be worse. Perfuma could be visiting. Cringer began to dream, his jaw twitching in his sleep, and Adora suddenly wondered whether the tiger had attempted to eat any of the flowers. Restraining the urge to giggle like a loon, she tiptoed over to the bed.

Her stealth was a wasted effort, however, because Adam sat up in bed, yawned dramatically and said, "I'm awake, oh noisy one."

Her brother and his pet bounced in place, but Cringer just grumbled something about children, rolled over and returned to his dream. Adam snatched up a pillow, smacked her with it in the back of the head. She countered by launching herself at him and beginning to tickle his sides. "I give! I give!" he cried as she pursued him to the edge of the bed.

"I do not accept your surrender, sir," she announced haughtily. "I still have at least fifteen years worth of tickling to catch up on."

Adam laughed. "But not all today, Sis!" Adora continued her pursuit, and her brother called for reinforcements. "Cringer, help!" The tip of the tiger's tail lashed briefly, then he yawned and covered his muzzle with a paw. "Oh, thanks," Adam said dryly. "You're a big - ooof!"

"And you need to learn not to let your guard down!" Adora chortled, but her laughter broke off with a squeal when her brother started tickling under her chin. "Ack! Okay, okay, I surrender. Really!"

They collapsed on his bed, laughing and gasping for breath. Adam had a huge smile on his face and, though he still looked tired, the dark circles under his eyes were gone. _Good. He's getting better. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to him._ She was tempted to turn into She-Ra and heal him again, just to reassure herself that he really was well, but she knew he would object and accuse of her coddling him.

"Sooooooo," she said instead, "who are all the flowers from? Do you have one extravagant admirer or just a lot of them?"

Adam grimaced and rolled across the bed and off it, landing on his feet. He turned, plopped down into a chair by the bed and said, "Don't ask."

"Why so gloomy, brother dear? Most people like getting flowers."

He mock scowled at her. "You didn't see the delivery. I thought Teela was going to burst."

"Teela!" Adora gasped. "The flowers are from Teela?" _Ancients above, don't tell me that the girl has finally come to her senses!_

Adam's shoulders drooped and he gazed mournfully at his lap. "No."

Adora found herself restraining the urge to go find the captain of the guard and shake her until her teeth rattled. _What is wrong with her? Is she so mad over He-Man's muscles that she can't see what a prize she has at her fingertips? Maybe if I -_

"I've just got to face it, Sis," Adam said, unexpectedly breaking his silent contemplation. "Teela... she doesn't have... I'm not sure she even thinks of me as a friend anymore. At some point - " He stopped and stared blank-faced at the bed for a moment. Then, in a bare whisper, he continued, "It's been seven years since I first became He-Man. Somewhere along the way I stopped being Teela's friend and became a burden, the spoiled prince she has to baby-sit. It's pointless."

Her heart aching within her, Adora could only listen helplessly as her brother announced the failure of all his hopes. _He's loved her since he was twelve. This must be killing him._ Stretching out on her stomach, she reached for his hands and he reached back and clasped hers.

"Are you certain that's how she feels?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied. "She's never been one for subtlety, my dear captain. What she says is exactly what she thinks, and she thinks I'm... useless."

Adora frowned, considering how to best phrase her misgivings. "I'm not so sure about all of this, my brother. I mean, Teela seems awfully, well, possessive. Don't you think?"

He sighed and squeezed her hands. "She is that," he admitted. "I used to think it was a sign, an indication that somewhere deep inside she really did care for me, but... " He trailed off, sighing and closing his eyes.

"You don't think that anymore?"

"She despises me, Sis," he said candidly. "Oh, she still treats me kindly from time to time, and there are moments - getting fewer and farther between every day - when we can achieve something almost like our old camaraderie, but it's mostly habit. Maybe she feels a certain amount of obligation, almost as if it's her duty to be my friend. I don't really know. I just know that our friendship is over, and all you're witnessing is its exceedingly slow death."

_Oh, my poor Adam. If only I could fix the world for you, I'd do it in a heartbeat._ Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Adora asked the one question she'd never dared to ask her brother before. "Are you saying that your feelings for Teela have changed, that you don't care for her anymore?" _Because I can see just by looking that you still love her._

Adam stood and walked over to the window. He leaned against the sill and gazed across the palace grounds, spread out before him in the glistening noonday sun. Adora joined him and placed an arm around his waist. When he spoke, his voice was calm and firm, but somewhere in its depths there was an echo of unbearable sorrow.

"If Teela ever needs anything of me, she has but to ask. I will always be there for her, no matter how far apart we grow. I love her with every little piece of my soul. I know that will never change. But I don't know how much longer I can play at being her friend when I want to be so much more."

He turned slightly and Adora pulled him close, hugging him until her arms ached almost as much as her heart.

* * *

The princess perched on a bench in the shade, watching - and critiquing - as Teela worked out not five meters away. There was no doubt that the captain of the guard was a skilled warrior. She was an able bodyguard, a good soldier and a loyal vassal to the king and queen. And at that moment, Adora hated her with every fiber of her being. 

_How dare she not want Adam? How dare she be so callous? How dare she prefer He-Man? I don't care how competent she is! If she says one rotten thing to Adam in my presence, I'll break her in two!_

Adora sat, jaw clenched, and watched, fuming as the Eternian warrior completed a set of high kicks and started on a set of side kicks. Twenty-one years of Horde training leapt to the fore as Hordak's adopted daughter cum mind-control-experiment recalled fifteen separate ways to block the kick that Teela was practicing. And most of them would involve breaking her leg. _The way I feel right now, that almost sounds like a bonus._ The princess sighed. _There are times when I can't help thinking that it's easier to be evil. Evil people can clobber anyone they want. If I were evil, no one would think twice about me having Teela assassinated. But, oh no... I wield the Sword of Protection. Just once I'd like to wield the Sword of Destruction! Just once._

Teela completed the set she was working on and turned, preparatory to beginning another exercise. She paused when she caught sight of Adora skulking in the shadows, and the princess wondered what the captain would make of her presence in this courtyard at this time. To her surprise, Teela walked toward her, stopping a respectful, but comfortable, distance away.

"Good afternoon, your highness," she said, gifting the princess with a broad smile.

_How can she be so cheerful when Adam is so heartbroken?_ Adora fought back a growl, but failed to contain a grimace as she muttered, "Good day." She folded her arms tightly over her chest and crossed her legs. _It wouldn't be right to hit her. I'm a champion. It wouldn't right._

"Is something wrong, Adora?" Teela asked, perplexed. Then, eyes widening, she blurted, "Adam hasn't gotten worse, has he?"

The princess blinked, opened and closed her mouth like a small fish, then exhaled slowly through her nose. _Am I supposed to believe you care, dearie?_ "Adam is fine," she snapped.

Teela was visibly relieved, but her eyebrows climbed. "And the king and queen?"

"They're fine too," Adora spat out. "Everyone is fine. We're all just fine."

The eyebrows continued their climb as the captain regarded the princess with dawning comprehension. "Then I must be responsible for the look on your face," she said in tones of puzzlement. "So, what did I do to make you look like you want to grab me by the neck and swing me like a bolo?"

Adora blinked. _Now there's an image._ "I was under the impression that you thought Adam was being a hypochondriac."

Teela bit her lip and did not reply. Tilting her head, the princess gazed up at the captain, trying to see her as Adam saw her. Intelligent? Yes. Courageous? Undoubtedly. Beautiful? Clearly. Perceptive? Not hardly.

"Adam is all right, isn't he?" Teela asked again when Adora just continued to stare up at her. "You would tell me if something was wrong with him, wouldn't you? I'm his bodyguard, after all. I - I'd need to know."

The princess sighed and then stood. _So it is just a job to you... or is it? Why can't you just kiss him and get it over with?_ "I would tell you if he'd gotten worse. Now if you will excuse me, I really need to get in a decent workout myself. I'm getting stiff and lazy sitting around this palace for days on end." Still irritated, Adora made to move around the captain, only to have her arm seized in a surprisingly strong grip.

Her smile suspiciously sharp, Teela said, "We could spar together. I would enjoy it and it could keep us both in fighting trim."

Adora almost discarded the suggestion out of hand, but then a strange and wondrous thought occurred to her. _Sparring with Teela? I'd be allowed to hit her. In fact, it would be a requirement._ She smiled icily and eased her arm from the captain's grasp. "By all means. Let us spar later this evening. After all, it would be unfair to start a match when you're tired."

Teela frowned ferociously. "I can take anything you can throw at me... Princess."

Adora's eyes widened. _Amazing how insulting that title can be._ "Perhaps you can," Adora agreed. "But, I wasn't actually planning on throwing anything at you. I was planning on throwing you."

"Plans seldom survive engagement with the enemy," Teela said, smiling frostily.

"Am I the enemy, captain?"

"I am certainly not your enemy, your highness. Though it is clear you dislike me for some reason." Teela paused for a moment, and Adora waited, curious to hear what more she had to say. "Maybe you're just jealous of me and can't admit it."

"Jealous!" Adora cried, incensed. "Why in the name of the Ancients would I be jealous of you? You don't have anything I want or envy!"

"Not true," the Eternian countered hotly. "I had Adam. I had years and years with Adam. Years that you can never have because of what the Horde did to your family. While you were on Etheria, I was Adam's only sister. We were practically siblings and you can't stand that! That's it, isn't it? That's why you're constantly glaring daggers at me! I know it is!"

Adora gaped at her. _You vile little snipe! How could you suggest -_ The princess shook her head. _Wait. Wait. Something she said. There's something interesting about what she said..._

"After dinner, then, your highness?" Teela asked, her eyes snapping like emeralds in sunlight. "Shall we spar after dinner?"

"After dinner," Adora agreed.

* * *

Dinner looked to be shaping up to be much the same as the previous night as far as Teela could tell. Although, unlike the previous evening, she was on time and wearing her usual garb. Man-At-Arms raised an eyebrow at the reappearance of her armor, but he didn't seem to be actually displeased, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She exchanged warm greetings with the king and queen, somewhat frosty ones with Adora and Castaspella, gave Orko a smile and a wink and then sat down at her customary place beside her father. 

There was still one empty chair at the table, between the Etherian queen and the princess, and Teela wondered who would be joining them this evening. Maybe one of the other Masters is in the capital. Before King Randor called for the first course, she got her answer. Prince Adam appeared in the entryway, Cringer standing at his side. He was wearing his customary garb as well, but his hair looked different somehow though she couldn't put her finger on the exact change. _He seems nervous. Is he expecting to get yelled at for missing last night's welcome dinner? _

To Teela's surprise, the king rose, walked over and put an arm around his son's shoulders. "Adam, I'm pleased to see you looking so much better," he said as he guided the prince to his seat. "Now, you be sure and tell us if you begin to feel tired."

Adam blushed scarlet as he took his chair and squeaked out, "Yes, Father." He cleared his throat quietly as his sister and Castaspella both favored him with dazzling smiles. "Good evening, everyone - Mother, Man-At-Arms, Orko, Teela." He nodded and smiled at each of them in turn as Cringer walked over to flop down on his cushion in the corner.

Teela waited until the others had finished greeting the prince and begun to speak amongst themselves, then she said, "Hi, Adam. You do look better." She smiled. "In fact, you look quite nice. I like your hair." she noted, for some reason earning a glare from Castaspella. _What is her problem? That wasn't rude for pity's sake._

"Thanks," Adam said, grinning at her.

"So do I," Castaspella chimed in, dimpling at him before returning to a conversation with King Randor and Orko regarding the differing magical natures of Etheria and Eternia. Technically, Orko was Teela's dinner partner, but she found that she didn't mind forgoing his conversation this once. Instead, she cheerfully joined in Adam and Adora's discussion of the royal stables and the new horses that Stablemaster Elias had purchased earlier that month at the Northvale Market Fair.

Meanwhile, Queen Marlena and Man-At-Arms conversed quietly at their end of the table, periodically shooting unreadable looks in Adam's direction. _I wonder what that's all about._

As they spoke of horses, riding and other summer pastimes, Adora and Teela actually managed to remain civil to each other, and the captain began to regret her earlier outburst. It wouldn't please Adam to know that they'd been arguing, and, if Adora was jealous of the childhood that Teela and the prince had spent together, well, who could blame her? _I was acting like a jerk. So she glared at me, that's no reason for me to attack her on that subject. If I found out I had a sibling I'd never known, I'd be devastated too._

Determined to make amends, Teela smiled at the princess, laughed at her witticisms and generally behaved in as polite and cordial a manner as she could manage. After a while, Adora started giving her fishy looks, but Teela just kept smiling. Adam must have been pleased by how well they were getting along, because his eyes sparkled.

_And he certainly has nice eyes. I've never seen anyone with eyes as deep and rich a blue as his. They share a lot of features, but Adora's eyes aren't nearly as pretty. And those lashes of his... sometimes I think they're longer than mine._ Teela sighed. _Maybe that's why he focuses his attentions on being a courtier instead of a warrior. He came pre-equipped with everything he needs to break girls' hearts. I mean, his smile's not exactly bad now, is it. His hair could use some - _

"Teela?" Adam asked, breaking into her reflections.

"What?" she asked, suddenly realizing just how far afield her thoughts had taken her. Adora was eyeing her with a blatantly curious regard. _Oh, crud. How long was I gone? _"Yes, Adam?"

"Do I have something on my face?" He leaned slightly across the table as he whispered sotto voce.

"Ummm... no, why?" Teela could feel a blush creeping up her neck. _Uh oh..._

"You were just squinting at me for an awfully long time," he replied.

"Oh! I mean, oh, I was just, ummm, lost in thought. I guess my mind was a million light-years away." She smiled abashedly at him. "Sorry."

Adam blinked, looking for a moment as if he was unsure how to take her explanation. "That's okay," he said at last, flashing her a brilliant smile. She couldn't help noting how even and white his teeth were. "Have you ridden Aspiral yet?"

It was apparently Teela's turn to be confused. "Aspiral? Who?" _Ridden?! What the in the Ancients is he asking? _

"The large chestnut with the white blaze," Adam said. "He's in the fourth stall from the end of the west wing of the stable. He's a real high stepper. His gait's as smooth as silk, though."

"Oh! A horse, I mean," she shook her head, catching Adora's highly amused expression. "Yes, of course, that Aspiral. No, I haven't had a chance to ride him yet. I rather got the impression that Elias meant to set him aside for your personal use though."

Adam smiled broadly and chuckled. "Sometimes, it's good to be the stablemaster's favorite."

Teela sniffed, raised her chin and said, "He just likes you because you help him feed the horses and clean the stalls. You, your highness, have been kissing up to him for years."

Adam sat up straight and placed his hands squarely on either side of his plate. He threw out his chest. "You'd better believe it. Otherwise, he wouldn't let me nap in the hayloft," he agreed as Adora broke into a giggle. "So, Teela, are we still on to go shopping the day after tomorrow?"

Before Teela could respond, Castaspella turned around and placed one of her hands over the prince's. "Did I hear someone mention shopping?" she asked. The wizardess leaned closer and smiled cloyingly at him, her dimples very prominent.

"Yes," Adam replied, flushing slightly as she wrapped her fingers around his hand.

_Why that brazen - _

"We were going to spend the day shopping in Eternos and possibly a few of the outlying villages," he clarified. "You're more than welcome to join us, of course."

What! Teela grit her teeth and exhaled slowly. _I didn't spend a week making the security arrangements to have this little tramp tag along! Who does she think she is?_ Then, inspiration struck. "You're welcome to come, too, Adora," Teela said, flashing her own dimples at the princess - all the while eyeing the Etherian queen with unconcealed hostility.

Adora bit her lip for an instant - Teela strongly suspected she was holding back highly inappropriate laughter - and then took a deep breath. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I'll be spending the day with Mother and Father. It's kind of a special thing we've planned, just the three of us."

"Oh, I understand," Teela said, giving the princess a genuine smile. _Not knowing your own parents - I can so relate to that. I'm so lucky I've had Father all these years. As an adoptive father, he beats anyone hands down._

"I was not invited," Adam said. "I am so unloved." He slumped over the back of his chair and sighed dramatically, one hand pressed to his forehead.

Teela started to laugh, but a look of such abrupt and intense sorrow flashed across Adora's features that the laughter seemed wholly inappropriate, and she immediately stopped. _What is that about? Something is bothering Adora. I knew it, I - _

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, your highness," Castaspella drawled, leaning unpardonably close to the prince. Adam flushed crimson. "In fact, I'd say that you - "

"Adam! Are you all right?" the king exclaimed. Rising rapidly from his chair, he marched around the table, and placed a hand on his son's brow.

Teela wouldn't have believed it was possible, but the prince's flush deepened. If he gets any darker, he's going to start to resemble Clawful. Adam protested that he was fine while Castaspella looked on with evident, if questionable, concern. Adora also looked on, her eyes very wide as Castaspella nodded in solemn agreement with several of Randor's directives that Adam continue to rest and relax until such time as the palace surgeon declared him completely recovered.

Through it all, Queen Marlena and Man-At-Arms were strangely silent. They watched for several seconds, exchanged an indecipherable glance, and then returned to their observation of the prince. _All right, that it! Is everyone here in on some big secret that I don't know about?_

The captain frowned and rested her chin on her hand as Orko joined in the fussing over the prince. The small jester flitted around offering to fetch a variety of things that Adam didn't actually need. Teela could see that Adam's embarrassment was approaching the level of critical mass, and, for once, she didn't find it funny. _So how do I distract them all?_ Teela caught Adora's eyes, and she saw in the princess' eyes that she too was anxious for the show to stop. _So let's give them another show._

"So, Adora, do you want to hold our match outside or in the indoor practice ring?"

The princess narrowed her eyes, then, comprehension dawning, she said, "Inside. I wouldn't want you to be blinded by the setting sun when I show you how a real warrior fights."

"What?" Adam said, breaking free of Castaspella's hold on his arm and leaning across the table to face Teela. "You're going to what?" He turned his alarmed expression on his sister who smiled innocently at him.

The king was still standing behind the prince's chair, but his gaze now darted back and forth between his daughter and the captain of his guard. _Well, that worked._ Teela grinned at Adam. _A pretty good apology, if I do say so myself._

* * *

When dinner finally broke up, Adora headed for her rooms to prepare for her sparring match with the captain of the guard. Teela - now what got into her? She was acting very strangely at dinner. The princess sighed. _I'm not so sure that Adam is right about her. She's not just possessive; in her own way, she's very protective of him. Why else would she turn our little contest into a spectator sport unless it was to draw attention away from Adam when Father was embarrassing him? If I could only figure out what angle she's coming at this from..._

Adora entered her rooms - it was still delightfully new and wondrous to have space of her very own that was neither Horde-controlled nor a leaky tent - and proceeded to search her wardrobe for the clothing she needed. Her suite consisted of a bathing chamber, a bed chamber and a sitting room - which no one ever seemed to actually sit in as far as she could tell. _Though, Mother does use her sitting room. I wish I knew what she was talking about when she said it makes her feel like Jane Austen to receive visitors there._

The rooms had been decorated by her mother with help from her father and brother, and Adora loved it. It wasn't her exact taste, but it was close. But most importantly, it had been put together by her family because they wanted her to feel loved and welcome. They wanted her to know she had a home. Furniture and color choice were irrelevant - the suite was perfect.

In the bedroom, the walls were a soft, buttery yellow, the furniture was wooden and had been painted a bright, snowy white. Every surface was covered with soft cushions and throws in varying pastel shades. Most featured lace borders and other frills. _And the comforter on the bed... Someone should write a sonnet about that bed. It's like heaven on Eternia. Pastel's not really me, but, oh, I love that bed. If only Sea Hawk were here._ Adora sighed lustily. _Naughty, naughty. What would Father think...? I know what Mother would think. I wonder if all Terrans are as open minded as she is?_

Trying to allow thoughts of her beau to distract her, Adora changed into the clothes she kept for exercise and fighting practice. While they were almost indistinguishable from the rest of her wardrobe in appearance, they had been fashioned more sturdily to take the abuse they would have to withstand.

She shrugged out of her dinner clothes, slipped into her fighting garb and tied her hair back so it wouldn't get in her eyes during the match. While She-Ra's hair never got in her eyes during battle - her hair naturally being as magical as the rest of her - Adora had to be a bit more careful. She was sitting on the side of her bed just pulling her boots back on when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in," she called as she fastened the last tie. The door opened and her brother walked in, a not unexpected look of hostility on his usually amiable features. "Yes, Adam? Did you need something?"

"Where is it?" he demanded through clenched teeth.

_Yup. He figured it out._ "Where's what, my brother?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at him. _He's not happy about this. Ah well, I expected as much._

"My sword, Adora!" Adam exclaimed, coming to loom over her, hands on his hips, eyes flashing with the force of his indignation. "Where is the Sword of Power?"

The princess blinked and smiled lovingly up at him. "Isn't it where you left it?" The prince inhaled, his chest swelling to alarming proportions as he drew in more and more air without stopping. "For heaven's sake, Adam! Breathe out! Breathe out!"

"WHERE IS IT!" he shrieked, turning and kicking the corner of the bed. "I know you've taken it! You're coddling me! I know it! Duncan would never do this! Duncan thinks I should fight until I drop dead! The Sorceress wouldn't notice if I dropped dead as long as Skeletor didn't attack Grayskull! Only YOU would do this! Now - where - is - my - sword?!"

_Goodness. He really is upset. Ummm..._ "There's no need to shout, my brother," Adora said calmly, giving him a stern and disapproving look. "I can hear you perfectly well." She reached out to take his hand, and Adam spun away. For a time he stood with his back to her, breathing hard, his fists clenched and hanging by his sides. Then, abruptly, all the air and ire drained out of him.

Turning back, he moved over and sat down by her side on the bed. "Don't 'my brother' me when we're fighting. It's unfair. You know it makes me melt." To prove his point, he leaned over and rested his head atop hers.

Adora chuckled as she put an arm around his waist. "Are we fighting?"

"Yes," he replied firmly.

"Why?"

"You're trying to manipulate me," Adam complained. His sister bristled and pinched him on the side. "Ouch!"

"I am not trying to manipulate you," she retorted hotly. "I am trying to control you. There is a very big difference. Manipulation is underhanded and sneaky. This is straightforward, 'I'm in charge,' stuff."

Adam grumbled but he didn't pull away. "Why did you take it?' he asked quietly.

Adora sighed. Good. Now he's going to be reasonable. "Adam, my brother, you're on holiday, remember?"

"That's silly, Sis," Adam groused. "I'm fine. The palace surgeon even said I didn't have to stay in bed any longer."

"He also said you should have steady rest and relaxation for the next month at least. Even he could see that you've drawn yourself far too thin. You've lost weight, my brother. That's not good."

This time Adam did pull away. He scowled at her, his jaw quivering with his umbrage. "You read his report! You see, you are a sneak."

Adora smiled at him, completely unrepentant. "I did not sneak," she announced, "I simply asked Father to let me read his copy of the report."

"His copy?" Adam squeaked. "You mean Father's read - oh, Ancients, no!" He buried his face in his hands. "Why? Why did Father even know? Why didn't you and Duncan keep this to yourselves? Teela would never have told anyone. She was convinced I'm just pathetic and lazy!"

Adora sighed and scooted over until she could put both her arms around her brother. He was stiff, but he grudgingly allowed the embrace. "Adam, I'm worried about you. So is Duncan, and, as it happens, he agreed with my decision to take your sword away. As long as you have it, you'll never rest! This is the only way I know to make sure you get proper rest. You - are - on - holiday. And that is final!" she said resolutely.

"But, Sis, it's dangerous. What if He-Man is needed? I told you how things have been here." He gazed pleadingly at her, but Adora refused to weaken.

"Then She-Ra will take care of it," she countered confidently. "Duncan has placed all of the Masters on alert, and She-Ra isn't leaving until her favorite brother is well enough to manage." Adora hugged him tightly. "Please, my brother, for me? Don't make this harder than it has to be. I'm keeping the sword, but don't be angry. Let us enjoy our time together. Please?"

Adam's stiff body relaxed in her arms and the princess knew that she had won. "All right," he agreed reluctantly. "But Adora, please be careful. I couldn't stand it if you - " He broke off and nestled his face against her shoulder. "Don't leave me."

"I will be fine. Unlike you, I have no trouble asking for help when I need it." Adora patted his head, reflecting that having family was quite a lot of work. Worth it, though. "And from now on, you are to call me when you need help. Your solo heroics won't be of much comfort to me if you get killed."

Adam sighed, and his answer came out muffled by her clothing. "I promise." Then, grumbling, he said, "Someone should warn Sea Hawk what a harridan you can be."

Adora laughed. "He already knows. Trust me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Teela was already in the practice ring, warming up, when Adora walked in with Adam at her side. The prince gave his sister a quick hug, then turned and gave Teela a wave and a thumb's up. The captain grinned. _Rooting for both of us, are you? Well, I guess he's entitled._ She waved back and winked at him. _Don't worry, your highness. I won't hurt your darling sister... much._ While Adam could get away with cheering both of them on, the rest of the spectators were clearly taking sides.

Cheering sections had rapidly developed as guards, servants, a handful of Masters and numerous courtiers filed in to fill the seating around the edges of the room. The king and queen had both shown and were, not surprisingly, sitting in what Teela thought of as Adora's zone. But that was okay too. After all, Man-At-Arms was sitting in Teela's zone. Family is family, Teela thought, grinning. Only Adam was making an undeniably neutral statement by sitting exactly on the border of the two sides.

In addition to the stands for the spectators, several weapons racks had been scattered across the ring floor with a variety of weapons on each one. This wasn't looking to be just any ordinary sparring bout. More like an exhibition match. _Perfect, we can embarrass ourselves in front of lots of witnesses instead of spreading it out, a few at a time._

There was a lot of noise - whistling and loud talking. Teela strongly suspected that some enterprising guard either had already or soon would start a betting pool. She also had a strong suspicion that the odds would not be in her favor. She frowned. If everyone is so impressed by Adora's Horde training then why did they all work so hard to kick the Horde out in the first place? _We're just as good as they are! I'm just as good as the princess, any day._

As Adora took up a position on the other side of the ring and began to stretch, Queen Castaspella of Mystacore walked in. Teela saw the wizardess scan the crowd and then move immediately to the prince's side. Adam smiled warmly at her when she sat down beside him. The captain watched surreptitiously as the two chatted amiably. As she finished her stretching, she couldn't help but note how very close together the prince and the Etherian queen were sitting.

_Why doesn't she just climb into his lap, already? That hussy is on my last nerve, I swear. _Teela scowled and turned to look at Adora, eager to start their match. Catching sight of her, the princess first smiled at her and then looked startled as she clearly became aware of Teela's bad temper. Frowning, Adora strode over.

"Teela, is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. "You look ready to explode."

"Nothing's wrong," Teela snapped. "Why should there be anything wrong? After all, this is just a friendly little sparring match?"

Adora growled. "Teela, don't be so mulish! I can see that you're very angry about something."

"Mulish?" Teela repeated witheringly. "Just prepare yourself, princess. Now you get to see how a real Eternian Guard works her magic."

Adora sighed, then scowled and stomped away. "Fine," she said as she turned to go. "Be that way, but know this. I will stop any time you ask me to."

"Not likely."

As soon as Adora was in position, the guard that Man-At-Arms had selected as their referee stepped forward. "This will be a standard exhibition bout," he announced, confirming Teela's suspicions that their sparring match had grown beyond all expectations. "Standard scoring procedures will be observed - three out of five points wins the match!"

Teela groaned. A five point match? Whose bright idea was this? She glanced in Adora's direction and saw that the princess looked as perplexed as Teela felt. _Why do I have a sneaking suspicion that a certain visiting dignitary may be responsible for this slight misunderstanding?_ She turned her hostile gaze, hopefully hidden beneath an inscrutable expression, on the queen of Mystacore. _Oh, well. Nothing to be done about it now._

The two women took up their positions on opposite sides of the ring, and the referee blew his whistle. Teela immediately circled to the left and found her move being mirrored by Adora as they each headed for weapons racks on the opposite ends of the ring. Teela watched her warily, and then it happened. Without ever reaching her apparent destination, the princess barreled across the intervening space and dived at Teela.

The captain dodged, rolling to the right and coming up on one knee. The princess spun in place, kicking out with one leg and Teela flipped backwards landing a safe distance away. She feinted toward the nearest weapons rack. Adora dashed to block her and Teela immediately veered toward her actual target, a rack on the far side of the ring.

Teela came to a rolling stop beside the rack and grabbed up a blunted practice sword. _Not live steel. Well, that's good - at least they didn't completely lose their minds when they set this match up._ She turned toward the center of the ring and nearly fell over as a deafening cheer assaulted her ears.

_Good grief._ Teela glanced quickly around, being certain to keep Adora, who was still unarmed, in her field of vision. Her cheering section was going wild, and Man-At-Arms was stomping his feet and whistling. _GOOD GRIEF!_

Adora also seemed startled by the sudden applause and, for a moment, she and Teela exchanged mutually astonished looks. The princess shrugged, reached into a nearby weapons rack and withdrew a bolo. She held it up high, where the captain could see it clearly, and Teela threw her head back and laughed. _For a princess she is quite irreverent. Swing her like a bolo indeed..._ Grinning, the women began to circle each other again. Teela held her sword loosely in her fingers, ready to strike in any direction, while Adora swung the bolo in a slow circle at her side.

Then, in a flash, they were both moving. They collided in the center of the ring, a blur of motion. A moment later, the whistle blew, and the two combatants broke apart. Adora was rubbing a spot on her shoulder while Teela stretched one of her arms. "First point to Captain Teela," the referee cried. Teela eyes widened, and she smiled broadly as her side of the ring roared in response to the announcement. Her father's voice was just barely distinguishable over the general cry of the crowd. Scanning the room, Teela saw that the king and queen were also clapping enthusiastically - guess they forgot which side they're on - and Adam was whistling.

Her gaze caught his, and Teela flushed as the prince whistled more enthusiastically and began to stomp his feet like a maniac. Castaspella was also clapping, but in a decidedly less fervent manner. Teela snorted. _What's the matter, sweetie, hard to cuddle up to a man who's flailing his arms for another girl?_ Teela turned her back on the prince and his friend and saw that Adora was also watching them.

The whistle blew again, and the captain and the princess returned their attention to the matter at hand. The next point went to Princess Adora, and Teela wound up on her backside on the floor mats, a bolo wrapped around her boots. Her pride was smarting, but it was not mortally wounded. It could have been worse. Adora could have gotten the first point. Teela smirked. But she didn't.

While a damaged rack was hastily removed from the ring - one of Adora's high kicks had reduced it to splintered shards - Teela had time to scan the crowd. Adam was once again cheering like a lunatic, and, this time, Castaspella was also cheering. _Well, that clears that up. The Etherian queen is rooting for Adora. Gee, what a shock._ Glancing at the rest of the onlookers, she saw that the king and queen were speaking animatedly with the people sitting around them while Man-At-Arms had begun to scribble madly on a datapad.

Suddenly realizing what her father must be doing, Teela quickly trotted over to Adora's side. "Did you notice that my father is taking notes?" she asked. Adora shook her head and turned to look in Man-At-Arms' direction.

"What is he writing?"

Teela laughed. "My guess - he's critiquing us. Be ready to receive a written assessment of your performance." Adora's eyebrows shot up as her eyes widened. "He doesn't mean anything by it," Teela hurriedly explained. "It's just his way of saying that he wants you to be a better warrior so you'll be less likely to get hurt."

"That seems sensible to me," Adora agreed, grinning, instantly winning Teela's approval with her unruffled attitude. "Will he expect us to train with him to address any problems he sees?"

Teela tilted her head and considered the question. "He might. I know that he - " The referee blew a warning whistle, and the combatants quickly returned to their previous positions.

Ten minutes later, the score was two to one in Teela's favor, the captain had traded her sword for a staff and Adora had abandoned her bolo in favor of hand to hand combat. Teela's left ankle was beginning to ache from a twist she'd suffered dodging one Adora's blows, and the princess was noticeably favoring her left arm.

Two more weapons racks had been reduced to kindling, and the crowd was going absolutely wild. King Randor was bouncing around in his seat, gesticulating frenetically while Queen Marlena laughed and ducked. He was clearly enjoying himself. Whatever he was saying had captured the attention of the people around him and apparently started a loud debate. Man-At-Arms was _- Ancients help us -_ still writing, though not quite as frantically as he had been earlier.

Adora laughed and joked with a group of palace guards on the other side of the ring, and Teela found herself unexpectedly close to Prince Adam and Queen Castaspella. Walking over, she waved a greeting. Looking amusingly like his father, Adam was also bouncing around in his seat. Castaspella appeared quite put out.

"Teela!" he cried as she came closer. "That was amazing! That last point you scored - I never knew you could jump that high!" He was smiling from ear to ear and Teela smiled back, knowing that he wasn't even noticing the sweat that trickled down the sides of her face and dribbled down the small of her back. _That's got to be one of Adam's nicest qualities. He doesn't care about pretty faces and fancy clothes. So when did he kiss Frosta?_

"Yes," the wizardess drawled. "That was quite an amazing display of soldierly skills. Still, a well-placed spell could - "

Teela bridled, but before she could even open her mouth, let alone supply a suitably scathing retort, Adam burst in. "You've got to show me how to do that trick where you disarmed Adora and stole the bolo! I've never seen anything like it!"

Teela came within a hair's breadth of announcing that Adam was too lazy and unskilled to ever be able to learn the Boranzo Strategy, but some inner voice told her to hold her tongue. For once, she listened. Gazing at the prince's face, and at the happiness shining out of it, she found herself wondering why her first instinct should be to say something that would wipe away that joy. _When did I become such a creep?_

The captain smiled broadly, and said, "I'll show you how just as soon as the surgeon clears you to return to practice." Adam' smile dimmed slightly and, with a start of guilt, Teela realized that he was waiting for her to make some belittling comment about his illness. Uncertain how to reassure him, Teela merely continued to smile down at him. _Ancients, I am a jerk. Sorry, Adam._

Gradually, when no snide remark followed, the prince's smile returned to it former brightness. They continued to chat, Castaspella listening and watching every word and gesture, until it was time to begin again. When the referee blew the whistle to continue, Adam cheerfully wished her luck and Teela stepped back into the ring feeling unaccountably lighthearted.

There were still two of five points up for grabs in the match, but if Teela could only score on this set then the entire exhibition would be over and the captain would be the undisputed champion. Teela wanted the victory so badly that it made her teeth ache. Why it mattered so greatly that she defeat Adora was... unclear even to her. But the drive to win was overwhelming.

The minute the whistle blew to signal the start of the set, Teela twirled her staff to get back the feel of the balance, rammed one end of it into the floor, and launched herself into the air. Adora wasn't prepared for the move, and Teela nearly scored on her right then. But somehow the princess managed to dodge at the last moment. The match dragged slowly on, each of them achieving several near misses.

_Face it, Teela. Princess or not, Adora is a first-rate warrior. Maybe even a great one. This was never going to be the easy win you wanted it to be._ She considered the idea as they orbited around each other. Teela had spent years complaining that Adam needed to be able to defend himself. It would be hypocritical to be annoyed because Adora was capable of defending them both. _Be glad,_ she told herself. _Be glad that she's good at what she does._ Teela smiled. Her defection must make Hordak absolutely rabid.

Fifteen minutes passed with neither of them scoring a successful hit, then - it happened. The captain pretended to slow down, feigning just a little more exhaustion than she actually felt. She was winding her way slowly toward one of the remaining weapon's racks, her goal a new staff, when, over the mutter of the crowd, she heard, quite distinctly, the sound of a woman's bell-like laughter. A familiar, yet foreign laughter. Hackles rising, Teela whipped her head around to see Castaspella running her fingers through Adam's hair while the prince blushed furiously. _That woman!_ For a moment, Teela saw red. Then, suddenly, she saw nothing at all.

When her vision returned, Teela was lying on her back, her heart pounding in her chest, staring up at the ceiling far overhead and wondering what on Eternia she was doing on the floor. Adora's face abruptly appeared, hanging in the air over her, and Teela gasped and jerked instinctively away. "Are you all right?" the princess demanded. Before the captain could reply, Adora was joined by Adam and the referee.

"Teela! Are you hurt?" Adam asked, his urgency making his voice sound rough as he knelt beside her. She bit her lip. _His hair is a mess._

"Captain, do you require medical attention?" the referee asked, concern evident in his voice as well.

Teela impatiently shook her head at all three of them, then levered herself into a sitting position. Glancing past her would-be rescuers, she saw that most of the spectators were leaning forward, worried looks on their faces. _Great. It couldn't get much more embarrassing than this._ Scowling, she waved away offers of assistance from Adam and got slowly but steadily to her feet.

Fully half her muscles seemed to ache abominably, and those that didn't probably would soon. She was, as far as could tell, actually undamaged, however. The prince hovered as she stood there, obviously determined to catch her if she showed signs of faintness. Teela scowled ferociously at him. He didn't appear to notice. Growling, she turned to Adora and said, "Did you score?"

The princess blinked repeatedly, then turned to the referee, a quizzical look on her face. "Did I score?" she asked, her tone clearly indicating that she didn't give a fig one way or the other.

"Yes, your highness. You did," the referee replied instantly. "The match is now two to two. This next point will determine the winner - that is, it will if Captain Teela is able to continue."

"Of course, I can continue," Teela barked, ignoring the growing complaints from her bruised and aching body.

"Teela, please, that was a bad fall. You shouldn't - " The prince cut off his request as Teela turned on him, her countenance suffused with fury.

"Stay out of this, your highness! It's not your business!" Adam's eyes widened in dismay as he backed a step away. He did not, however, give up.

"Teela, please, this isn't - "

"I forfeit."

The captain whirled around, nearly knocking the referee over in the process. "What did you say?" she demanded, stepping up to Adora.

"I said I forfeit," the princess repeated calmly. Teela took a deep breath, desperately fighting to maintain her composure.

"May I ask why?" she ground out when she found her voice again.

"You're limping, Teela," Adora noted, not backing away an inch as she looked directly into the captain's eyes. "You could have other injuries. And I can see that you're going to insist on continuing the match; therefore, I forfeit."

Adam glanced back and forth between them, so clearly alarmed by the animosity he saw in her face that Teela found some small portion of her anger draining rapidly away. The referee watched in stunned silence as Teela, her eyes very wide, balled up her fists. "I do not accept," she said as calmly and reasonably as she could manage.

Adora addressed the referee though she never removed her gaze from Teela's face. "Does she have the right to refuse my forfeit?"

"No, your highness."

"Fine," Teela snapped. "Then I forfeit as well. The match is a draw." The referee nodded and stepped away. When he was several feet removed from the combatants, he blew the whistle and announced the results. The entire room vibrated with the roar that followed his announcement, but Teela could barely hear it over the pounding of the blood in her temples.

_How dare she humiliate me like this! How dare Adora take pity on me! How dare that woman touch -_ Teela turned to walk away and found the queen of Mystacore's eyes upon her. Castaspella was watching her with such intense scrutiny that, for a moment, Teela found herself wondering if the wizardess could read her thoughts. But then the Etherian turned, stepped around Teela and placed a hand possessively on Adam's arm. Teela snarled at her, then twisted her features into something more pleasant for the trip through the milling spectators.

Without another word to Adam or Adora, she turned and marched toward the exit. Her father met her halfway there. "Come on, sweetheart. We need to have one of the surgeons take a look at you." Teela nodded, gingerly accepting his arm, determined not to let anyone see just how much she really needed the support.

"You did very well, Teela," he said, his delight ringing in his voice, easing some of her wounded pride. "I just have a few suggestions for things we might want work on. For instance..."

* * *

The next morning Adam was down at breakfast bright and early, eager to congratulate Teela on her brilliant performance the night before. But the party of the previous evening was sadly reduced. His parents were at table along with Queen Castaspella. Cringer was still abed and no one seemed to know where Orko had taken himself off to. Worse, to his great dismay he found that both Teela and Duncan had been called away on urgent kingdom business, investigating rumors of usual activity in the Mystic Mountains. Adora, not unexpectedly under the circumstances, had gone with them.

"I'm so proud of her," Randor said, beaming as he poured more milk into his chai. "Such a skilled warrior, and she has shown a tremendous interest in the running of the kingdom."

Smiling, Adam wilted internally. _Here comes the comparison. I can just hear it._ 'Why can't you be more like your sister, Adam? She wasn't even raised here, but she doesn't shirk her duties.' The prince dropped his eyes to his plate, mortified at the thought of being spoken to like a recalcitrant child in front of Castaspella. _Maybe I should just skip breakfast. I'm not really that hungry._

Blissfully unaware of his son's sinking spirits, the king continued. "Do remember the treaty you mediated with the Randolvians, Son?"

Adam looked up, his eyes widening in puzzlement. "Yes..."

Randor nodded as if his son had just confirmed some unspoken point of logic. "That was a masterful piece of work." Marlena hummed agreement as she chewed her toast. "I told Adora that, if she's serious about getting up to speed on current kingdom policy, she should review that document along with the other treaties you've negotiated in the last few years."

Adam gaped at him while The queen of Mystacore ventured a polite, "Hmmm?"

His father smiled at her, and said, "Adam has a gift for handling people who are already upset and on edge. They just seem to trust him, and he always knows instinctively how to get to the heart of the problem. He is quite gifted."

He gave Adam an encouraging nod, and the prince grinned back happily, too overcome by the praise to say anything at all. _Gifted? Father thinks I'm gifted? When did that happen? _

Then, suddenly, the prince blushed as Castaspella said, "That's no surprise to me, your highness. I've always suspected that Adam has many hidden talents." She flashed him a smile, and he felt his flush deepen alarmingly.

The wizardess continued to watch him as she absently stirred her oatmeal, and Adam suddenly found something fascinating to stare at on his plate. _Intense doesn't begin to cover this. None of my usual tricks for warding off lovesick courtiers are going to work._

"Randor, remember. You must call me Randor. I know you and Marlena use each other's given names."

"Yes, of course. Forgive me, Randor. I assure you my slip is merely a sign of the immense respect I feel for you and for Eternia." Castaspella dimpled at the king, and Adam watched in astonishment as his father melted under the force of her saccharine gaze. His mother, well aware of his father's weakness for courtly manners and feminine flattery merely smiled into her napkin exchanging a quick roll of the eyes with her son.

Adam restrained the urge to laugh and settled for a wide smile as he dug into his breakfast with renewed interest. The four of them chatted pleasantly, discussing the food, the exhibition match, Etheria, Mystacore, the Great Rebellion and a number of other topics. Eventually, Randor excused himself, pleading state affairs, and Marlena excused herself as well.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to give you that tour of the palace today, Castaspella," she said as she rose from her seat. "With Man-At-Arms gone, it's up to me to chair the meeting of the Research and Development Commission. What that august body really needs is a referee, but I'm afraid I'll have to do."

The wizardess laughed, exchanged a quick grin with the queen and assured her that she would be able to manage on her own for the day.

"Nonsense," Marlena scoffed. "I'm sure Adam will be delighted to show you around the palace." She shot her son a significant look from the side of her eyes, but no maternal pressure was really necessary.

"Oh, no," Castaspella half-heartedly protested, watching the prince through her lashes. "Adam is still recovering from his illness, and I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"Don't be silly, Casta," Adam said with complete sincerity. "I'm not sick at all, and I'd love to show you around."

"Well, if you're certain..." She fluttered her eyelashes at him, and Adam's stomach did a minor flip flop.

_If Teela ever looked at me like that, I'd just roll over belly up and let her do whatever she wanted to me._ His brow furrowed as he nodded at the Etherian and then returned to the remains of his breakfast. _I wonder just what precisely Castaspella does want to do with me. She's not being exactly subtle, but how serious is she?_

When they'd both finished eating, Adam shoved his plate aside, leaned his elbows on the table and regarded his guest with friendly good humor. "So, Casta, a tour of the palace isn't going to take very long - I mean, not enough to fill up a whole day. Was there anything else you'd like to do?"

Gray eyes sparkling, the wizardess smiled slyly and murmured, "Well, now that you mention it, I would love to - " She broke off abruptly as a large confection of lace, roses and willow bark appeared before her on the table with a soft 'pop.'

"What in Eternia!" Adam was out of his chair and reaching for his sword long before he realized that the intruder was a flower arrangement. What made it all the more embarrassing was the fact that Adora still hadn't returned the Sword of Power to him. Feeling decidedly sheepish, he sat back down and watched as the wizardess reached forward and plucked a small parchment from among the roses.

She blushed delicately, her cheeks turning the palest shade of pink as she read the note. "How sweet," she said, her voice filled with love and warmth. "She's become such a thoughtful child."

"What is it?" Adam asked, leaning instinctively closer then pulling hastily away as he remembered his manners. A gentleman doesn't read a lady's correspondence without her permission. _Besides, it's obviously not from another -_ the prince blinked in startlement. _Where did that thought come from?!_

Castaspella rolled the scroll back up and tucked it inside her clothing. "It's from my apprentice, Ariel," she explained. "She wanted to wish me a pleasant day on the anniversary of my birth."

Adam stared at her blankly for a moment, then, feeling exceedingly slow on the uptake, he said, "It's your birthday? Today? Your birthday is today?"

"Why, yes," she replied, seeming somewhat bemused by his reaction. "Is that significant here?"

"My family has always celebrated birthdays, my lady." He reached out, grabbed her hand and enthusiastically kissed the back of it. "And I cannot help but feel that your birthday should be a notable and revered holiday no matter where you go."

"Adam!" Castaspella laughed, a genuine chuckle and not one her usual flirtatious giggles. "You're as bad as I am, an inveterate flirt!"

"Why thank you, my queen." He bowed over her hand, and when he looked back up she was flushed a dark, rosy red. "But in all seriousness, we must make a day of it, a worthy celebration of your birthday." He gave his best, impish smile. "Our party may be small, but it shall be a merry one. We will start with the palace tour you requested, naturally, but that is only the beginning," he promised.

* * *

True to Adam' word, they began their day with a whirlwind tour of the palace that made up in humorous personal anecdotes what it lacked in thoroughness. _I'm going to have to double check some of these stories with Queen Marlena,_ Castaspella thought in growing bemusement. _I simply refuse to believe that one little boy could fall in every palace fountain more than twenty times._ The wizardess flashed a smile at her companion, her eyes lingering on his chiseled features and blazing blue eyes. _Then again... he does enjoy his mischief, this one._

As they turned a corner, Castaspella slipped her arm through his, gently resting her hand on the inside of his elbow. The prince started slightly and grinned shyly down at her, but he did not pull away. She managed to keep his arm in his for the rest of the rapid tour, her fingers making soft circles on his skin through the thin fabric of his shirt. By the time they reached her quarters and ended the tour, Adam looked nearly as pink as his vest and Castaspella knew that she should give him a little breathing space before they made their way into the city.

"Why don't I meet you at the front palace gates?" she suggested. To her surprise the prince immediately looked crestfallen.

"The front - oh no, I didn't consider - ummm..." As Adam fumbled for words, one of his hands began to worry at the back of his neck.

"Adam, what is it?" the wizardess asked, stepping closer and gazing into his eyes, allowing her heartfelt concern to show in her warm gray eyes. "You can tell me?"

Though she wouldn't have believed it was possible, the prince looked abruptly more embarrassed under her direct gaze. "Ummm... Casta, I, well, I - oh, Ancients, I forgot!"

She blinked. "Forgot what?"

Adam sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm afraid it doesn't merit the alarm I've caused you, Casta. It's just that, well, I'm not supposed to leave the palace without my bodyguard, and Teela is away on a mission."

"Is that all?" she asked, relieved that it was nothing more serious. "It's all right, Adam. We can just stay here and - "

Adam straightened abruptly, looking extremely serious and heroic for a moment. Something inside the wizardess melted as she saw the change come over him. _Why, at moments like this, he almost reminded her of He-Man. Which is just ridiculous because Adam is so much more attractive._

"I will not hear of it, my queen," he intoned solemnly. "I promised you an outing, and an outing is what we shall have." He deflated slightly and, looking chagrined, said, "It just means we'll have to sneak out one of the side entrances and try to avoid the places where anyone is likely to recognize me. Do you mind?"

Castaspella seriously considered the question for a moment. _Annoying Adam's parents will not help my cause,_ she thought bleakly. _Still, turning down such an offer from so fine a gentleman hardly bears considering._

Tilting her head slightly, she regarded him with evident consideration. "I was not under the impression that you were forbidden to roam without a guard. In fact, from what Adora has told me of your adventures, I was given to understand that you enjoyed considerable freedom of movement. Was I wrong?"

The prince flushed. "No, you weren't," he hastily assured her. "It's just that my father recently started receiving death threats, directed against me, I mean, and he's been a little paranoid about the whole thing. So I - "

"Death threats!" Castaspella cried, only to be immediately shushed by the prince.

"Not so loud," he whispered urgently. "We aren't exactly announcing it."

"But, oh my dear Adam, death threats?"

The prince glanced about, obviously worried that someone might be listening. Then, returning his gaze to her face, he asked, "Can we talk in your sitting room for moment?"

Without a word, the wizardess opened the door and gestured for him to enter. Once inside, Adam stood in the center of the room, looking far too antsy to take a seat on any of the furniture.

"Thanks," he began. "I just - the last thing I want is for the servants to overhear about the messages I got. Most of them are old family retainers, and they can nag worse than my parents do. They're very protective." He grinned, the look a strange mixture of fondness and exasperation. "The truth is, the threats only lasted for a few days and they stopped weeks ago, but Father is being absolutely paranoid. Meanwhile... I've got a serious case of cabin fever."

Taking her cue from him, Castaspella chose to remain standing. But instead of getting close to him as she usually did, she propped herself casually against a wall, knowing that the position would show all her... charms off to the best effect. But her movements were automatic and without conscious choice, for her mind was occupied solely by the prince's words. _Death threats... He takes it very lightly._

When she did not speak, Adam continued, his hands held imploringly out at his sides. "Honestly, Casta, it's nothing. I think the only reason that father even took this seriously is because the threats actually appeared inside the palace, little notes left in odd places."

"That is awfully alarming, Adam," the wizardess ventured at last. "What makes you so certain that the hazard can be disregarded?" _Handsome, brave, courageous, and... reckless? I wouldn't have thought so._ Castaspella watched him closely, studied his reaction to her question, and knew the precise moment when he decided to lie to her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him with a raised hand. Then, very softly, she said, "Please do not lie to me, Adam."

The prince flushed a dark red, his eyes widening. For a moment he simply stared at her, then, with a loud thump he dropped onto a sofa looking thoroughly ashamed of himself. "I've developed some bad habits," he muttered disgustedly. Then, looking up at her through his long, beautiful lashes, he said, "I'm sorry." The sincerity of the apology was undeniable.

"Accepted. Now, why were you about to lie to me?"

Adam's lips quirked up in a lop-sided grin. "You know, for someone who's spent so little time with me, you can read me appallingly well."

Castaspella dimpled at him, pleased that he'd noticed. "I pay attention," she purred. "Now, quit evading the question. What are you hiding, dearest?" _What would drive someone as sweet natured and inherently honest as you to lie?_

The prince's flush had begun to recede, but at her endearment he pinkened once more. Ancients, he's just adorable. Walking over, Castaspella made to sit beside him. Adam hastily sat up straight and made room for her, scooting to one end of the sofa. Sitting a comfortable distance from him _- comfortable for him that is -_ the Etherian queen turned toward her beloved and folded her hands demurely in her lap, doing her best to project her understanding, her willingness to listen, and her utter faith in him. You can confide in me, Adam. Open your heart to me, love.

"Well?" she asked.

Looking thoroughly vexed, Adam ran hand through his hair, groaned and rubbed his face in frustration. "The problem is that to tell you the truth, dear lady, I would have to break my word to another."

Castaspella knit her brows. _That is a problem. Hmmm... I could just let the whole thing drop. After all, I do trust Adam's judgment, so there's no reason not just go along with his plans to sneak out. Yet, what an opportunity to strengthen the bond between us. If he takes me into his confidence..._ "Well, why don't I ask questions, and you answer the ones that won't endanger your pledge?"

The prince considered the suggestion for a moment, then said, "All right. That seems reasonable." He watched her steadily, his gaze unwavering. A slight smile played at the edges of his lips, and Castaspella found herself wondering what was amusing him.

"So, you received threatening notes that appeared mysteriously here in the palace. The intimidating message stopped weeks ago," she said, tapping one finger against her cheek as she summed up what she knew so far. "King Randor is worried, but you don't believe there's any further cause for worry."

"Correct," he said, flashing her a brief smile before his face became studiedly neutral. "To be specific, the death threats stopped a little over three weeks ago. They lasted for a total of eight days."

"Now, as I see it," she continued, "the question is why you think there's no longer any danger." The wizardess stared into the distance, trying to imagine the scenario from Adam's perspective. "The most logical conclusion... is that you aren't worried because you know who was sending the threats."

The prince said nothing, did not respond in any way, and Castaspella turned her gaze back to his face. He was so still, so very blank that the Etherian was reminded of a portrait of him that she'd seen on their rapid tour of the palace. "Adam? Surely that can't be - but if you knew who made the threats you would tell your father, wouldn't you?"

The prince lowered his chin toward his lap, his hair falling forward into his face, obscuring his eyes. _By the Ancients, that's it! He knows. He knows who made the threats. So why isn't he telling anyone?_ On an impulse, Castaspella reached out and lifted his chin. The look she surprised in his eyes was decidedly unexpected. _Embarrassment?! Why is he self-conscious? What possible reason could he have to be embarrassed for being threatened?_

She released his chin, pulling her fingers slowly away. Adam shivered slightly, and Castaspella felt her own skin tingle in response. _So you aren't indifferent to me after all,_ she thought. _Not too late. It's not too late... Teela or no Teela._

Inhaling deeply to clear the cobwebs from her mind, Castaspella smiled slyly at the Prince of Eternia. "So, I think it's safe to assume that you do in fact know the identity of, shall we say the author of the threatening letters." Adam tilted his head and regarded her somewhat nervously. "And, for whatever reason, you do not wish to - " She stopped suddenly and shook her head. "No, that's wrong. You are unwilling to reveal the identity of the culprit."

Adam continued to watch her, his demeanor unreadable but for the faint flush that clung to his skin and the minute contractions of his pupils. "If you don't want the guilty person to be known, it further stands to reason that you are protecting them." A muscle in the prince's jaw twitched, and Castaspella knew that she was on the right track.

"Now," she went on, "here's where the entire scenario becomes stiflingly complex. It is complicated because it concerns your extremely personal rationalizations, my prince." Getting caught up in the mystery despite herself, Castaspella crossed her legs, leaned her elbows on her knees and rested her chin in her cupped hands. "I cannot speak to the poison pen's motivations, but I hope that I know you well enough to make a few astute deductions." Adam made a sound somewhere between a grunt and pffft, and Castaspella quickly flashed her dimples at him before continuing.

"Perhaps the culprit is a friend," she suggested. "One whom you would do anything to protect." The prince looked mildly intrigued by the notion, but he showed no strong reaction at all, and the wizardess discarded that theory. _More's the pity. What an easy way to get rid of Teela that would have been._ "Or the writer could have been an enemy. In that case, it's likely that the person has some sort of mysterious hold on you. Something that prevents you from publishing their infamy. But in that case, I would expect you to seem more worried." Again, the prince looked intrigued, but he did not look caught out. "A complete stranger seems unlikely. If there was sufficient evidence for you to track down a total stranger, then that same evidence should also have led King Randor's guards to the culprit."

Castaspella caught glimpse in a mirror across from the sofa - Adam was watching her with a wry twist to his lips and a distinct twinkle in his eyes. "What?" she asked, naturally wondering what he was thinking.

Grinning, his smile show rows of incredibly white teeth, he said, "Your mind works in a twisty sort of way, doesn't it?"

The Etherian's eyes widened in startlement. "Adam! Good gracious! Do you say such sweet things to all the girls you scheme with?"

Laughing, the prince leaned close and whispered, "Only the pretty ones."

Flushing as red as her hair, the wizardess swallowed convulsively. "Ahh, yes, well... ahem." She cleared her throat noisily as he pulled away. "As I was saying, the culprit seems unlikely to be a friend, an enemy or a stranger. That leaves... someone known to you, but not a friend. Someone for whom you feel, perhaps, a degree of responsibility? A servant, shall we say?"

The prince became still so suddenly, that it was as if someone had disconnected a power pack from his back. _That's it, then. A servant. Ancients, no wonder the poor dear is embarrassed. The poison pen was probably a lovesick maid. I bet she even still works here. That's why he doesn't want King Randor to know, and that's why he isn't worried about being attacked out in the city. An attack would be far more likely to happen here than somewhere else. Good grief. _

The prince's nervousness remained, unabated, and the wizardess decided to lighten the mood a touch. "Well, I suppose there is one other possibility," she said slowly, drawing out each word. "You could have sent the letters to yourself..."

Adam's head snapped up and his mouth dropped open. For several seconds he gaped at her like a landed fish, gasping for air. "What? Why? How? Why would - That's just - "

His tones were so outraged, his indignation so heartfelt, that the Etherian found herself unable to contain her mirth. Peals of laughter escaped from her lips and the prince's outrage grew with each chuckle. "Castaspella!" he cried, leaping to his feet. "It's not funny. Those messages, they were disturbed! I'd have to be completely off my rocker to write something like that about myself."

"If the letters were so very wretched, then there's only one explanation for your calm lack of concern, Adam. Either you're an idiot - " The wizardess paused dramatically, enjoying his growing perturbation. The prince audibly ground his teeth, but he did not otherwise rise to her bait. "Or, you know with absolute certainty that the writer of the letters is no threat."

"Obviously," he snapped, his deep blue eyes sparkling with the force of his ire. "Sent them to myself... honestly." Striding rapidly to the door of the sitting room, he stopped on the threshold and looked back at her. "Are you going to spend the day with me or not?"

Castaspella stopped breathing for a moment as she drank in the sight of him standing there, quivering with suppressed passion. _Admittedly, it's not the kind of passion I'd prefer, but the other will come in time._ "But of course I'll go with you, my dear Adam," she purred, rising gracefully to her feet. "I would never dream of missing my own birthday outing."

"Fine," he grumbled. "Meet me at my room in an hour precisely. I'll have the necessary arrangements completed by then." Opening the door, he stomped through it and disappeared from view.

With a mournful sigh, the wizardess sank back onto the sofa, letting her head droop over its back. _Why, oh why couldn't I fall in love with a nice, simple farmer? She snorted. But oh no, not me. I have to go for moody princes who're just screaming for someone to cuddle them._ Wrapping her arms around her torso, the Etherian queen closed her eyes, imagining for a moment what it might be like to be held by the man she'd chosen. _My prince. My lover. My consort. My husband._

* * *

Teela sat in the back of the windraider, arms folded across her chest, fuming silently as the wind whipped her hair about her face. The mysterious seismic activity in the Mystic Mountains had turned out to be nothing more than a geological anomaly, and the captain was not pleased to have squandered an entire day going in search of it. _What a complete waste of time! No Skeletor. No minions. No monsters. Just some stupid geyser that hasn't erupted in five hundred years!_ If it had been up to Teela, the party would have returned to Eternos immediately. She had things to do, after all. Quite aside from her usual duties, there was the mid-summer festival to prepare for.

A large event like a festival meant extra security patrols, extra duty shifts to schedule and balance, and a multitude of guests and temporary staff to screen. _And I haven't finished my shopping yet, she thought crossly. I hate shopping. I hate shopping at the last minute. I especially hate shopping alone at the last minute. I could have gotten a lot of that done today if only I'd stayed in the capital. I could have dragooned Adam into helping me. He's good at finding the right present for the right person._ Sighing dramatically, Teela unfolded her arms and began to tap her fingers, one after the other, on the seat of the windraider.

_Besides, Adam enjoys shopping. He has fun shopping. It's not the single most evil chore in the world provided that he's there, cracking jokes and buttering up the shopkeepers._ Taking the prince shopping would have meant taking him out of the palace though, and Teela knew that King Randor might have objected. _Still, as long as I was with him we really could have skipped a lot of the other security precautions, _she reasoned._ I am his bodyguard, after all. What could be safer? _

Unfortunately for Teela's shopping, both Man-At-Arms and Princess Adora deemed the geyser worthy of further investigation. _I should have known the whole day was a lost cause the second Father rubbed his chin and said it was 'Interesting.'_ If her eyes could have bored holes in her companions' backs, both her father and the princess would have been riddled with perforations by the time they decided to call it a day. _Make a note of this, Teela. Jot down that, Teela. Get readings of this other thing, Teela. Arrrg!_ The captain's hand clenched and her fingers dug into the pliable fabric of the seat cushion.

Laughter drifted back from the front compartment, and she grit her teeth. Apparently Adora and Man-At-Arms were enjoying themselves. They were probably still gushing about the geyser. How two people could find so much to say about something that was, when you got down to it, nothing but water and hot air, Teela could not imagine. But clearly, they were having a fine ole time. "Humph." _No doubt they aren't the only ones. And just what do you suppose Prince Adam and Queen Castaspella found to do with themselves, all alone at the palace?_ Teela snorted. _I bet I can guess what that Etherian harpy wanted to do. Too bad for her that Adam treats every girl he meets like his long-lost sister._ The captain blinked, her eyes focusing abruptly on the back of Adora's head. _Ancients! There's a phrase I'd better eliminate from my vocabulary. He does have a 'long-lost' sister! Ooooooooh...nuts!_

Dropping her head into her hands, Teela closed her eyes and massaged her throbbing temples. It didn't much help. Visions of the prince and his playmate danced behind her eyelids. _Gack!_ She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, holding the pressure until she saw stars. But when she eased up, a new vision assaulted her - Adora, standing there, looking so smug and self-righteous as she forfeited their match. Dropping her clenched fists to her sides, Teela tilted her head back, her teeth bared in a grimace. "Oh! For the Ancients' sake!" she ground out through her jaw remained firmly closed.

Teela didn't realize she'd spoken loudly enough to be heard until Adora turned around in her seat, an inquisitive look on her fair face. "Is everything all right?" the princess asked. The captain scowled sullenly at her. For a moment, she actually considered just not answering. But she was just too old to be that childish... especially in front of her father.

"Nothing," she said irritably. "Nothing is wrong." It sounded less than convincing, even to her ears.

"You don't look like nothing's wrong," Adora countered, her eyebrows climbing toward her hairline. "In fact, you look extraordinarily angry." Shooting a quick glance at Man-At-Arms, and apparently receiving some kind of 'go ahead' signal, Adora unfastened her safety harness and quickly climbed over the partition and into the back of the windraider. Once there, she activated the windraider's canopy and then sealed off the back compartment from the front one.

The captain watched these preparations with the gravest of forebodings. _Oh no. Oh, please tell this doesn't mean what I think it means. Not girl talk. Please, not girl talk!_

"All right, Teela," Adora said, settling herself onto the seat and turning to face her. "What's eating at you? Is this about our match?"

The captain narrowed her eyes, her lips pursed as she bit back on a dozen scathing retorts. Finally, when the princess showed distinct signs that she would just keep staring at her until she answered, Teela settled on a relatively dispassionate, "The entire universe doesn't revolve around you, you know." _That's neutral, isn't it? Compared to all the things I could have said, that seems enormously restrained._

"Well," Adora replied, her face a study in wry amusement, "that's a tremendous relief. Here, I thought I was responsible for everything bad that happened in the world." She tilted her head, looking thoughtful for a moment, then added, "Though I refuse to shoulder the blame for bad hair dyes. Women who dye their hair ridiculous colors are solely responsible for their own actions."

Teela blinked, her eyes widening. "Ummm... do you speak from personal experience?" she asked, morbidly curious despite her ill humor.

A conspiratorial twinkle in her eyes, Adora said, "Well, one of my friends did once dye her hair a kind of purplish blue color. Of course, her hair is normally pink, so purple may not have seemed like an unusual fashion statement to her."

"Was it hideous?"

"Utterly. She did the dying herself, and it made her hair all frizzy with split ends flying everywhere." Adora sighed. "You can just imagine what it was like, trying to keep a straight face when she walked into the throne room..."

"But why did she do it?" Teela could understand why someone with pink hair might want to cover it up, but not with purple dye. It was too hideous to contemplate.

Adora shook her head, leaned back in her seat and said, "Why else? She did it to impress a man - a prince in point of fact."

"That's crazy!" Teela exclaimed. "Why would she want someone who didn't like her for herself? This is exactly the kind of thing that I despise in courtiers."

"I suppose, technically, Glimmer is a courtier, what with being the crown princess of Bright Moon and all," Adora said, looking thoughtful. "But she's a rebel too, so she does deserve your respect. I think that one day, when she finishes growing up, she'll be a good queen."

"Oh?" Teela tried not to sound too dubious, but she must have failed for Adora eyed her reproachfully.

"Respect, Teela. It's one thing for us to laugh about her juvenile antics with hair dye, but you should still be respectful."

The captain bristled, glaring frostily at the princess. "Why, because she's royalty?" she demanded.

"No," Adora countered. "Because she's a person, and a good one at that." The princess chewed her lip for a moment, then without looking at Teela, she said, "Glimmer has a crush on Adam, you know."

Teela's jaw dropped open. "Another one! Are there any girls on Etheria who aren't after him?!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Humming contentedly to himself, Adam leaned against a fence, one boot propped up on the lower railing and watched people stroll by while he waited for Castaspella to come out of the bakery. He wouldn't have thought it could take anyone so long to choose a few simple pastries, but then he wouldn't have expected half of the things he'd learned about the Etherian queen that day.

He'd known from the first time he met her that Castaspella was a strong, determined woman who spoke her mind and did not shrink from the duties of running a country alone. As a ruler, he knew that she was fair and honest, hard working and meticulous. Adora claimed that the wizardess was also mature enough to admit when she was wrong. Though she had absolute power in Mystacore, Castaspella earnestly sought out the counsel of her people, nobles and commoners alike. She actively listened to what they had to say. She heard their words, but she also watched their actions, their body language, their choices and she was adept at discerning what people meant when what they said did not match their true meaning. His sister also told him that the queen had even been known to go against her own wishes when public opinion was not with her. Yet, she would also do what was right and just, no matter how unpopular it might be. Overall, Adam believed Castaspella to be an honorable and even-handed ruler. She led her people gently, but with great strength of will.

What he had not quite realized was that the wizardess could be a positive little tyrant when dealing with strictly personal matters. One on one, she was downright bossy. _Or maybe that should be a determined little tyrant,_ he thought wonderingly. _When she gets that one look in her eyes... I bet her advisors run for cover._ Growing up as he did, Adam was more than used to assertive women. His mother was no wilting flower, and the prince knew that she more than anyone else had shaped his psyche, molding his view of the universe. Then there was Teela.

As his friend, and later as his bodyguard and personal trainer... well, she was easily as domineering and dictatorial as anyone he'd ever met. In general, the prince thought of himself as a fairly mellow person, willing to go with the flow. Usually, it was only in his guise as He-man that he became truly assertive and commanding. His placid ways had begun as a ruse, a necessary element of the disguise that kept the people of Eternia from realizing their champion's true identity. But over the long years, that laid-back attitude had become ingrained habit. As a result, Adam often found it easier to simply go along with whatever his friends and family asked of him. Perhaps prolonged exposure had gifted the prince with a certain immunity to Teela's bossy ways, so that he no longer jumped every time she snapped her fingers, but he had no such protection to help him deal with Castaspella, and he found himself going along with her every scheme despite the misgivings that sometimes plagued him.

When they met at one of the palace's servant entrances, preparatory to beginning their shopping expedition, Adam had reminded Castaspella that they would be going strictly to those places where he was not well known. While he was certain that his father would eventually learn of his unauthorized trip outside the palace walls, he hoped to prolong the inevitable by not showing his face in places where news of his outing, and his current location, would instantly come winging back to gossip central.

Though she had put on a great show of reluctance when they first discussed his restriction to the palace grounds, at some point the clandestine nature of the excursion must have begun to appeal to the wizardess for an alarming twinkle appeared in her eyes.

"Yes, of course we should stick to areas where you aren't well known," she'd agreed. "But that's not enough. We must also refrain from using our titles for the day. I'll call you Adam - that is a common enough name here, is it not?"

"Yes," he'd confirmed, a hint of doubt already pricking at his conscience. _Getting a guest in trouble with my father is not really a worthy thing to do,_ he worried. But how can I back out now, _when I've promised her a special birthday celebration?_

"Well then, I shall call you Adam and you shall call me Casta. I fear Castaspella might be too noticeable, and," here she'd dimpled and smiled demurely up at him, "I quite like hearing you call me Casta." The idea was only sensible and the prince had quickly agreed. _But then... oh, but then the real suggestions had begun. _

Before he quite knew what had happened, Adam found himself in a ready-made clothing shop purchasing an entirely new outfit for himself as well as one for Castaspella. The wizardess argued, and reasonably so, that if the prince was serious about passing unnoticed among the throng, his usual attire was too distinctive. _I could hardly disagree with that, now could I?_ Fur-trimmed clothing was an affectation that only royals or soldiers could afford, and Adam couldn't say that he was sorry to abandon his traditionally effeminate garb. He knew with dreadful certainty, however, that Man-At-Arms would not be pleased.

_It's just for one day,_ he told himself. _One day's not going to ruin a disguise that's worked perfectly well for seven years._ Adam could practically see Duncan's face and hear his words as he tried out one line of reasoning after another. "Prince Adam, just because no one suspects that you are He-Man does not justify you taking foolish chances," his mentor would no doubt say as he stood nearby, looking stern. "I am very disappointed in your behavior, young man." The prince shuddered. Man-At-Arms and his father had been friends for more years than Adam had been alive, and sometimes they sounded remarkably alike in their criticisms. _Well, nuts to both of them. I'm going to have some fun for a change. Mother and Adora will understand._ Teela's reaction to his current adventure - that Adam didn't even want to contemplate.

While Adam was the one who paid for their new clothing, he rapidly discovered that he had very little say in its selection. Castaspella chose every garment, both his and hers. Still, he supposed it wasn't entirely fair to say he had no part in the process. With an eye for minutiae that he should have expected in a skilled magic worker, the wizardess deftly quizzed him on his likes and dislikes. As they walked through the streets of Eternos, she pointed out passing merchants and tradesmen, minor nobility and farmers, eliciting from the prince his reaction to the garments worn by each. Before they ever set foot in the shop, she had ascertained how tightly he liked his breeches to fit, which colors he was sick to death of seeing, what cuts of a tunic he found irredeemably rakish, which food he most often spilled on himself and a myriad of other minor details.

Then they arrived at the shop. The prince stood back and observed her progress, mesmerized as Castaspella moved among the racks, table and shelves like a miniature whirlwind. Though, truth be told, she left very little disarray in her wake. An elegant and dignified whirlwind. Strange how it doesn't seem like an oxymoron, watching her.

The shopkeeper, Harmon, whose establishment Adam had selected for this endeavor because he was not given to gossip, eyed the prince and his companion with frank curiosity. Adam just shrugged and mouthed the words, "royal visitor." The shopkeeper's eyebrows rose slightly, and he inclined his head sympathetically in the prince's direction. _Lovely,_ Adam berated himself. _Somehow I don't think Castaspella would appreciate being cast in the roll of the inconvenient and unpleasant noble guest._ But neither did he believe she would care to be labeled as his paramour. Harmon might not be given to gossip, but Castaspella's friendly regard could so easily be mistaken for... something more.

_Yes, far better that Harmon should consider me saddled with yet another royal twit to wine and dine than that he should breathe a word to suggest that we're_ - Adam swallowed nervously as the wizardess flashed a mischievous smile at him from across the room - _involved._

Some while later, they left their third shop, a leathersmith, with Adam carrying their newly wrapped purchases in his left arm as Castaspella slipped her hand through the crook of his right arm. Her fingers wrapped firmly around his bicep and she grinned impishly up at him.

"Now," she'd said, laughter lurking beneath the surface of her voice, "Let us find some nice secluded spot to change our garments before we move on to the next city and begin our real shopping."

"Don't worry," Castaspella assured him. "I've already bespelled our new clothing so it will be certain to fit properly. There'll be no need for further tailoring."

"Oh, that's good," Adam agreed, feeling unaccountably embarrassed by the whole venture. _It's not as if she just suggested we find a nice, quiet spot to neck. Get a grip, Adam. There's no reason to act like a nervous virgin... even if you are one._ They made their way back to the windraider, and the prince set a heading for the Evergreen Forest. That wilderness had a plethora of secluded spots appropriate for quick changes of dress. More importantly, several of the villages that the prince thought Castaspella and he should visit were located on the outskirts of the forest or were strung like pearls on the Winding River that ran through the middle of the forest. Once they'd changed into their new clothing, it would be but a short hop by windraider to the first stop on their itinerary.

Adam wasn't overly worried about being seen in the windraider and therefore recognized as a member of the royal family. He had carefully chosen a small windraider from the palace's vehicle pool, available to servants and courtiers alike, rather than taking one of the royal family's private vehicles. The palace vehicles were omnipresent in Eternos. They were not uncommon in the surrounding countryside, nor, for that matter, anywhere on the Fertile Plains. _We'll be the next best thing to invisible, he thought with no small degree of satisfaction. Today, I can just be a regular person. Just Adam and Casta, shopping, gossiping and... flirting._ The prince grinned wryly. _I must be out of practice. She's won every round so far._

In no time they arrived at a secluded glen. Adam knew the place well because he'd used the spot to transform into He-Man on any number of occasions. Among its more useful features was a small pool fed by waterfall and an assortment of boulders, some big enough to hide behind, others ideal for perching upon to fish. _Okay, so maybe I spent more time here as Adam than as He-Man. Casta won't tell anyone about this place. She's a queen; she knows how to be discreet. I think..._

Shooting him a sly grin, Castaspella hopped out of the windraider the moment it touched down. Grabbing the package that contained her new clothing, she immediately made for one of the larger rocks, one that would provide ample concealment. "Coming Adam?" she called as she walked away. She looked back him over her shoulder, her long, auburn hair swinging through air.

Adam gulped. "I'll, uh, be right over there," he said, pointing toward a large boulder on the other side of the pool. The wizardess dimpled, flipped her hair back into place behind her and disappeared from view behind the rocks. The prince took a deep breath, snatched up his bundle of clothes and made for cover. _We're just friends. We're just friends. We're just friends._

Though Adam was accustomed to quick changes, he was not used to actually physically changing his clothing under a time constraint. He stumbled and staggered and he attempted to quickly don his new garb without getting any dirt on it. He had the strangest suspicion that the queen of Mystacore might not be above peeking if she happened to finish before he did. _Minx._ The prince shook his head. _Or maybe that should be lioness. I'm beginning to feel like a deer on the run. The question is what she's going to do if she catches me._

"Are you ready, dear heart?" the wizardess asked, her voice coming from alarmingly nearby.

_If she peeked, so help me I'll -_ Adam muttered under his breath for a moment, then called back, "I'm ready." Walking back into view of the windraider, the prince was greeted by another sight entirely.

"How do I look?" Castaspella asked as she held out her skirts and twirled in place. The lightweight heather gray fabric swirled up around her calves as she pirouetted then settled once more at her ankles as she stopped, hands on her hips. The prince noticed that her eyes were closed and wondered why. Maybe she was resisting the urge to peek. He shook his head. _Vain, Adam. You're getting vain._

"You look great," he told her. The gray skirt and chemise were a shade lighter than her eyes and trimmed with blue embroidery. Combined with the brilliant blue of her bodice, trimmed with matching gray embroidery, they set off her fair skin and roan hair to perfection. The neckline exposed a great expanse of silken skin, shoulders, collar bones and more than a little cleavage. "Really great," he added, compelled by honesty to give her the compliment that she was due. "One might even say spectacular."

The wizardess blushed and opened her eyes. "Why, thank you kind - " Castaspella broke off abruptly as her gaze settled on Adam. Her lips remained parted as she looked the prince up and down. Finally, she wet her lips, closed her mouth, swallowed and murmured, "Incredible."

Adam flushed scarlet. "Uh... "

"You look absolutely stunning," Castaspella said, walking over to stand before him. She reached out a hand to finger the edge of his vest. Like his new trousers, the vest was a dark charcoal gray. It was sleeveless and hung open to his hips. The pants were full in the legs - Elders, I hate tights! - and new, furless boots peeked out from beneath them. The shirt was somewhat snug across the prince's chest, but it had long loose sleeves that were gathered into cuffs at his wrists. Casta had chosen this particular shirt because she claimed that it exactly matched the blue shade of his eyes. All in all, Adam couldn't have been happier with the new outfit and its complete lack of resemblance to his usual clothing.

The way that the Etherian queen was regarding him, however, was more than a little nerve wracking. Her gray eyes never wavered as she gazed into his, and Adam's flush refused to recede. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to say something, anything to break the tension of the moment. Before he could speak a word, her mouth was on his. His eyes widened then closed as she gently nibbled at his lower lip. The prince felt an arm slip around his waist as Castaspella pressed herself against him, then his senses were reeling and he became lost in the moment. _Oh, my..._

Blood pounded behind Adam's ears as, for a few befuddled seconds he returned the kiss. His hands found Castaspella's waist while his lips and tongue moved in time with hers, exploring the possibilities. His body thrilled to her feathery touch, his mind all but overwhelmed by new and unaccustomed sensations. When he tentatively joined in, slowly moving one hand down her side, across her hip and beyond, the wizardess sighed and leaned into him. The world spun dizzyingly. This was nothing like being kissed by Frosta. That experience had left He-Man feeling decidedly, well, cold. But this... he was on fire.

Then, reality returned like a plummet from the sky. Adam's stomach flip-flopped as his senses cleared, and the significance of his actions came home to him with a jolt. _What am I doing! How could I do this to Teela? How could I do this to Castaspella? What kind of man am I?_ Placing his hands firmly on Castaspella's shoulders, the prince held her in place as he pulled away. She was breathing hard, as he was. He shook his head, let go of her shoulders and backed a further step away. He tried to speak, but words failed him.

"What is it?" Castaspella demanded. "What's the matter?"

He shook his head again and turned his back on her, unable to frame any kind of reply.

"Was it bad?" she asked, the horrified dismay in her voice impossible to miss. Her distress could not be ignored or brushed aside.

"No, of course not," he said, still facing away, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Then what is it?" He felt a hand on his back... two hands, and he jerked away as if scalded. "Adam? Please tell me what's wrong. I've shocked you. I can see that, but please tell me you're not offended or –"

Laughter burst through his lips. "Offended?" he asked, disbelieving his own ears. He half-turned to face her. "Why should I be offended? If anything, it's you who has been..." The prince trailed off, unable to bring himself to continue.

"Has been what? It's me who has been what?"

Adam sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair wishing that life, specifically his life, was simpler. "I'm afraid I've mislead you somehow," he began. Castaspella started to speak, but Adam forestalled her with a little shake of his head. "I thought it was just flirting," he said mournfully, "that it was just harmless fun. I never dreamed that you were serious about any of it. I certainly never dreamed that you were serious about... me."

The wizardess stared at him, blinking, and said nothing. Adam flushed darkly as he realized that he was once again jumping to conclusions. _Just because she kissed you doesn't mean she wants to do more than that, you simpleton. She may not be serious at all. This could just be a fun way to spend the day as far as she's concerned._ The prince closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. _No! No, she's not like that. She wouldn't play with me like -_

Adam's eyes snapped open as Castaspella pulled his hands away from his face. Her warm gray eyes gazed up into his blue ones, her expression filled with affection. "It was never just flirting for me, Adam. And I assure you, I could not be in more deadly earnest." Taking a deep breath, she blurted out the words that he'd longed to hear for years. "I love you, Prince Adam of Eternia."

The prince closed his eyes once more, suddenly unable to meet the Etherian queen's gaze. _Teela. Why couldn't it be Teela?_ Feeling slightly numb, and more than a shade ashamed of himself, Adam took a long, steadying breath. "Castaspella, I - you can't mean that," he said as he slowly opened his eyes, fighting to see past the mist that clouded his vision.

"But I do," she insisted, still clasping his hands in hers. "I think I've loved you ever since that time I brought you to Etheria through my scrying pool. It just took a while for me to realize it and a while longer for me to gather the courage to do something about it. I love you, Adam. With all my heart." She leaned forward, made as if to kiss him again, but stopped when he pulled away.

Wrapping his arms around himself, the prince walked over and sat down on the edge of a large, flat boulder. "Castaspella, I swear I never meant for this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you." _I never wanted to hurt anyone. Some champion I'm turning out to be. What a wreck._

"You wouldn't hurt me, Adam. I know that." As she spoke, the wizardess reached up and brushed her lips with trembling fingers. She looked away, staring into the distance through the trees. "Do... do I disgust you? If my touch is revolting to you, I - "

"No, of course not!" Adam protested, horrified that she might believe such a thing. "That was amazing. Truly." She returned her gaze to his face, and the prince had to drop his own eyes, unable to bear the naked hunger he saw in hers. "It's just that - you see, the thing is - well, it's - I'm in love with someone else."

Castaspella sighed and, moving with slow deliberation, came to sit beside him on the rock. As she settled next to him, she took one of his hands in hers, squeezing it reassuringly. "How long have you been in love with Teela?" she asked quietly.

Adam sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "For as long as I can - " Turning with a jerk, the prince eyed the wizardess with something dreadfully close to genuine panic. "How did you know?" he asked breathlessly.

The sound of the Etherian queen's laughter echoed through the glen. "Adam, it doesn't take a mystic to see that you love her." Squeezing his hand, she added, "You wear your heart on your sleeve, my love."

Blushing, Adam ducked his head. "Oh, wonderful," he muttered. "I had no idea I was so obvious."

"Only to someone who cares enough to notice, my darling." Still holding his hand, Castaspella raised it to her lips, gently kissing the back of it. Adam gulped.

"Ummm... " he said, feeling strangely as if he were under siege. "I would think that my being in love with someone else would be rather discouraging?"

"Well, it isn't precisely heartening," she agreed. "But I have hope that my suit may yet be accepted."

The prince's blush deepened and, unbidden, an image of them standing side by side sprang to his mind. With sudden, startling clarity, he realized that Castaspella had dressed them to match, both in blue and gray. Even the embroidery on their garments was similar. It was not a subtle statement. _By the grace of Eternia... she is more than serious._

Adam searched for the words with which to kill her hopes. He was loathe to do it, but in justice to Castaspella, he could not leave her with any false expectations. _I love Teela. I always will._ Taking a deep breath, the prince steeled himself for the words he knew he must say. Before he could speak, however, one of the wizardess' hands settled lightly on the side of his face.

"Adam, I know you love Teela, but - forgive me for distressing you in this way, my dearest - but I have seen no sign that she returns your affections." Castaspella paused, her thumb gently caressing his cheek. "Am I mistaken?" she asked softly. "Does she return your love?"

_No. _The painfully true answer screamed inside him. _No, she doesn't love me. She doesn't even like me. Why can't this all be over?_ he wondered, feeling perilously close to despair. _Why can't it end?_

Taking his face in both her hands, Castaspella turned him toward her. She brushed away the tears that spilled from his eyes with her thumbs. "Give me a chance, my darling. Give me the love she scorns. I know we could be happy together, if only you will try to let her go." So saying, the wizardess bent forward and kissed him once more. This time her touch was incredibly tender, almost hesitant.

Adam closed his eyes, uncertain for a moment how to respond. Then the words that he spoken to his sister but a few short days ago returned, echoing through his mind. _I have to move on. I have to find something to live for. This could be my last chance for happiness. I have to move on!_

Slowly, cautiously, the prince slipped an arm around Castaspella's waist and began to return the kiss. He felt her arms shift, slipping down around his neck as she leaned in, pressing herself against him. Adam moaned, his arm tightening around her as his free hand slipped up and into her hair.

* * *

"Damn that boy! How could he be so foolish?" the king shouted as he slammed one fist into the palm of his other hand. His words echoed off his office walls as he paced back and forth between his desk and the window. The sun hung low on the western horizon, sending orange-golden beams through the window and spilling across the room. Sunset was almost upon them. No one had seen the prince or the queen of Mystacore since shortly after breakfast.

_I'm going to strangle Adam for this! I swear I am,_ Teela vowed. _Some lunatic is threatening him, and what does he do? He makes himself an easy target. Idiot!_

"Captain, I want you to go after them," Randor continued. "Right away! Find them before... before anything happens. How could Adam be so reckless?"

Teela nodded. She more than shared the king's ire at discovering Adam's flight from the safety of the palace, and she would cheerfully have gone after the prince whether he wanted her to or not. "Don't worry, sire. I'll find Prince Adam, and I'll bring him straight home whether he likes it or not. Even if I have to drag him back by his hair."

Randor waved a hand in impatient acquiescence/dismissal, and Teela turned to go. Before she'd taken a full step toward the door, however, her own father appeared and barred her path.

"Now, your highness, I think perhaps that you might be overreacting just a bit," Man-At-Arms said dryly. "I'm sure none of us wants to see Prince Adam embarrassed in from of Queen Castaspella. If Teela is sent to fetch him home, well, that could be rather humiliating. Don't you agree?"

"What?" Randor demanded, his gaze sharpening on his vassal's face as he stopped pacing. "What on Eternia do you mean by - " The king's words broke off abruptly, a strange expression coming over his face as his eyes darted to and fro looking at... nothing. "Oh, yes. Yes, I quite see what you... No, no, that wouldn't do at all." Randor reached up, snatched off his crown and ran a hand roughly through his hair. "Of course he would have wanted to be alone with - It's only natural that he should - but still, Duncan! It isn't safe!" His gaze returned to Man-At-Arms' face. "If something should happen to him... "

The king tossed his crown carelessly onto his desk and resumed his pacing. "Captain, disregard my previous order."

Teela shot her father a look of pure fury. Has he lost his mind? Have they both lost their minds? "But, sire! Adam isn't safe out there alone! Someone must bring him back to the palace!"

"Oh, I don't think the situation is all that serious, Teela," her father said, walking over and sitting down on a low couch that ran beneath the window in the wall perpendicular to the king's desk. "After all, Queen Castaspella is with Adam. He should be perfectly safe."

"Safe!" Randor exclaimed, turning and favoring Man-At-Arms with much the same look of disbelief that Teela knew she herself wore. "How can he be safe when some madman - "

"Or woman," Teela interjected. _Those letters sounded like a woman to me._

"Or madwoman is threatening him?" the king demanded.

"Randor, calm yourself. Adam believes that the threat from that source has passed, and I for one am inclined to trust his instincts."

"Still... " The king gestured vaguely with one hand. When his current movements brought him to the window once more, Teela realized that the sun had finally given up the day and sunk beyond the horizon. Dusk colored the air with pink strokes.

Sighing, Randor dropped down onto the couch beside Teela's father. "We can't be certain that the danger has ceased," he complained.

"No, we can't," Man-At-Arms agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "However, you were willing to allow Adam to go shopping with Teela tomorrow. This isn't so very different."

The king groaned and ran both hands through his hair, reminding Teela startlingly of Adam for a moment. _They're more alike than they know. If only Adam would grow up and take life seriously, he could be a great man like his father, like my father... like He-Man._

"Teela is his bodyguard," the king argued. "He would have been safe with her there to protect him."

"Right," Teela agreed. "That's totally different than going out with some floo- " she broke off, hastily censoring her words as Man-At-Arms turned a withering glare in her direction - "with some courtier."

In his best, and most intimidating, lecture mode, her father said, "Queen Castaspella is considerably more than a courtier, Teela." He began to tick off items on his fingers as he spoke. "One, she is the sole ruling monarch of Mystacore which implies a certain degree of competence and common sense. Two, she is a member of the Etherian rebellion against the Horde and, according to Adora, a skilled strategist. Three, she is a sorceress of immense talent and courage. Four, she is Prince Adam's friend. I think we can trust her to protect Adam, with her life if need be."

Man-At-Arms put a strange emphasis on the word, "friend," and Teela wasn't certain how to interpret his meaning. _I'm Adam's friend too. Why does everyone suddenly treat me like a dimwitted lackey? I'm the Captain of the Guard. I'm the prince's bodyguard. And... I'm his friend. I should be out there with him - not her!_

"Do you really think so, Duncan?" the king asked, an odd tone in his voice as well. He still looked worried, but something else lurked around his eyes, something that looked almost like -

_Hope? _

"Yes, sire," her father said, placing a hand on Randor's shoulder. "I'm certain."

"Well," the king said, inhaling deeply, his chest swelling to alarming proportions as a smile suddenly lit up his face. "Well, then, that changes everything!"

"It does?" Teela asked shrilly, utterly bewildered by the king's abrupt shift in attitude. "What are you two talking about?"

Her father merely raised an eyebrow at her expressively and said nothing. But Randor blushed scarlet. He mumbled something that sounded distinctly like, "Oh, dear. I've said too much." Then, in a voice that was both louder, clearer and forcefully cheerful, he added, "That will be all, Captain. I think we can trust the two - ahem, I think we can trust that Adam and Castaspella will find their own way home."

Teela gaped at him, then turned a disbelieving stare on her father.

"You heard the king, Teela. That will be all."

Eyes widening, blood pounding in her veins, Teela turned and marched from the King of Eternia's office. _Mad! They are both gone completely mad!_

* * *

"Thanks for the extra cookies, Nena," Adora said, grinning from ear to ear as she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on the chief night-cook's plump cheek.

"You're very welcome, dear. I hope you'll come down any time you get the midnight munchies," Nena said as she walked the princess to the kitchen door. "The Elders know I've slipped snacks to that brother of yours often enough. Now, get a good night's sleep."

Happily clutching her sack full of caramel cookies, Adora drifted out of the kitchens, humming lightly under her breath. _If all the cooks are this easy to charm goodies out of, it's a wonder that Adam isn't as fat as an elephant. On the other hand, they may just be kind to me because I'm Adam's twin. The servants practically worship him - even the ones who have to pick up after him. It's got be that sunny personality of his, because I know for a fact that he never picks up his dirty clothes. But they love him anyway._

Adora sighed... only to have the sigh turn into a long and jaw stretching yawn. _Will I ever belong here the way he does?_ she wondered as she drew a broken off bit of cookie from the sack and popped it into her mouth. The caramel melted deliciously on her tongue and the princess sighed again. _Life here is so nice. I'd give anything to have my whole family around me all the time like this, but it can't last. The Elders were a stingy bunch. One champion for Etheria and one for Eternia. No more, no less. Adam and I can never stay in one place together for any real length of time. This is already the longest visit I've ever made, and I'll have to go back soon._

Adora turned a corner and passed into the halls that constituted the palace guest wing. This wasn't really the most direct route to her own quarters, but she was curious to see if there was any sign of activity in Castaspella's rooms. As she headed toward the queen of Mystacore's chambers, she gave herself a mental shake. There was no point in being gloomy. She would just have to make the most of the time that she had with her family. _Besides, the only way I could stay would be if -_ The princess stopped in her tracks. Would be if Adam went to Etheria. Adora shivered, suddenly realizing where this train of thought was taking her. If Adam were to marry Castaspella then he would almost have to stay on Etheria. _Castaspella is the only ruler that Mystacore has, so she couldn't come here. And if he was to stay in Mystacore then I would have to stay -_

"By the Ancients!" the princess whispered hoarsely, stunned by the realization of what precisely was at stake, of what she stood to lose if Adam chose to marry Castaspella. "I would have to stay here, on Eternia, without Adam!" _Without my brother, I'd feel so lost here._ Her head spun for a moment. _But I'd have Mother and Father. We could really get to know each other. We could be close. I could be a real daughter..._ She popped another chunk of cookie in her mouth and chewed frenetically.

"But the rebellion - " she groaned. "What of the rebels?" _They would go on without me,_ she reassured herself. _They would have He-Man. He'd adjust to fighting the Horde as I'd adjust to life with Skeletor._ But there was one thing that Adora knew she could not adjust to. Not now. Not when they'd been through so much together. Not when he'd become the other half of her heart. _What will I do about Sea Hawk? His ship, his crew, his father - his whole life is on Etheria. Would he even be willing to try coming to Eternia? Could he handle being a queen's consort or, good heavens, even being a king himself?_

Pulling the last cookie from her sack, Adora began walking again, munching worriedly with each step. _This is not quite the relaxing visit I had in mind. First Adam is on the verge of collapse. Then Castaspella starts acting like a love-sick stage heroine. Next, Teela decides any woman who looks at Adam for more than five seconds is evil. Last, my entire life may just be changing, and I only figured it out after a midnight raid on the palace kitchens._ The princess swallowed the last bite of cookie and licked the crumby remnants from her fingers. _I've got to talk to Adam. I wonder if he's still awake._

It took Adora less than a minute to come within sight of the queen of Mystacore's door, but when she did she stopped abruptly, still hidden in a shadowy stretch of hallway. Adam and Castaspella walked into view and came to a halt just before the doorway to her chambers. Her hand was tucked into his arm and they spoke to each other in hushed tones. An amusingly large cluster of packages floated along behind them, clearly under the sway of the wizardess' magic. The prince hastened to open the door to the queen's chambers and then backed out of the way. With a casual wave of her hand, Castaspella sent the packages zipping through the aperture and out of sight. Then she turned, standing in the still open doorway, and favored Adam with a sultry regard that made Adora blush, hidden in the shadows as she was.

In the dim nighttime lighting, it was difficult to tell for certain whether the prince was blushing as well, but Adora had no doubts on that score. He was probably so flushed that he clashed with his own -

The thought broke off abruptly. Adora's gaze sharpened on her brother's figure. _He's not wearing his pink vest! He's not wearing any of his usual clothes!_ Astonished, the princess regarded her sibling with utter disbelief. _He changed his outfit? SHE got him to change his outfit! This really is serious!_

Dumbstruck, Adora watched silently as her brother and his companion started at each other for many long seconds without speaking. Finally, in a somewhat quavery voice, Adam said, "I really enjoyed... I mean, I had a good... It was a lot of... " He stopped and ran a hand wearily over his face. "None of this is coming out right."

The queen of Mystacore laughed quietly and crooked a finger, beckoning to him. The prince cleared his throat and stepped toward her. When he was within reach, Castaspella ran her hands softly down his arms. The prince shivered at her touch, but he did not pull away, not even when the wizardess clasped his hands in her own. "It was a marvelous day, your highness," she murmured, barely loud enough for Adora to understand her. "In fact, it was quite simply the best birthday I've ever had."

Adam grinned shyly and ducked his head, staring down at his feet. "I'm glad you had a good time."

"I had much more than a good time, dear Adam," she purred.

The princess gaped in shock as Castaspella, her friend and trusted ally, stood on tiptoe, slipped an arm around his back and kissed Adora's brother with all the evident passion of a frustrated lover. For a moment, the prince seemed too stunned to respond. Then, he gently but firmly pushed the queen of Mystacore away. "No, Casta," he said, shaking his head regretfully.

"You could stay with me," she urged at the same moment.

Despite the dim lighting, the flush that colored Adam's skin as the Etherian queen made her offer was markedly bright. Adora suspected that she was nearly as red as her brother. _I shouldn't be seeing this. I really shouldn't be seeing this! But if I move, they'll hear me. Oh darkside..._

"Casta, I - I'm more flattered than I can possibly say - "

"Then say yes," she countered instantly.

The prince gulped, took a deep breath and continued. "But I am not ready for this. I don't want to hurt you, and - " The wizardess leaned toward him, clearly eager to have her say, but the prince waved her to silence. "Please don't push me on this, Casta. I'm too confused. I want to do the right thing... and I need time to know what the right thing is." Adam freed his hands from Castaspella's and then tenderly cupped the wizardess' face. "Please." He kissed her softly on the lips, hardly more than a peck really, but the Etherian woman sighed and closed her eyes.

"Whatever you want, my love. I can wait." So saying, she turned and walked through into her chambers, closing the door quietly behind her.

For several seconds, Adam stood, gazing silently at that closed door, and Adora began to wonder if he had perhaps changed his mind. But then he shook his head, as if to clear it, and marched quickly away, heading in the direction of his own rooms.

As he passed from view, Adora let out a tremendous sigh and steeled herself to begin moving again. Before she could take a step, however, she noticed an odd glint coming from one of the side halls that overlooked the spot where Adam and Castaspella had said their good nights. The glint flickered in the shifting moonlight of an open window, then it moved rapidly away. _Oh, no, Adora thought, her mind reeling from yet another shock. Someone else was watching. But who..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next morning, Adam awoke at dawn feeling so mixed up he could hardly begin to sort out his own emotions. _Embarrassment is there aplenty,_ he thought as he stretched leisurely in bed. _Humiliation, frustration..._ He shied away from other emotions he didn't even want to recognize, let alone name. Aching love, horrifying despair and acute pain rose to the fore when he thought of Teela. Those, and the beginnings of something that might be anger. He quashed that last sentiment ruthlessly. There was no place in his relationship with Teela for resentment. _She owes me nothing, not even friendship. I won't take my disappointments out on her. It would be neither fair nor honorable._

Thoughts of Castaspella brought an even more baffling mix of emotions: chagrin, annoyance, exhaustion, desire, aggravation, love and longing in no particular order. And that was only the beginning. Shuffled in with all the rest was a sort of awe-filled astonishment that she wanted him. No one ever had before. Adam had begun to fear that he'd played his part too well, and that no one would ever want the cowardly prince of Eternia. Yet, despite it all, Castaspella loved him – impossible to doubt her word on that. Part of the prince couldn't help but rejoice that someone as intelligent, as kind and as beautiful as the queen of Mystacore loved him. How he felt for her was almost immaterial. Though, he could hardly disregard the way he'd felt when she kissed him... and when he kissed her...

Maybe it was that encounter which sparked the dreams that plagued him throughout the night. His skin tingled as he remembered each phantom caress, every dream-wrought whisper of love and passion. Somehow, he didn't think Teela would be thrilled to know what role she had played in his slumbers. Somehow, he thought Castaspella would be even less thrilled to know what fantasies her kiss had awoken within him. _I am well and truly... screwed. But what wouldn't I give for those dreams to be portents of what is to come?_

Adam flushed and stretched again. Despite the late night, he felt surprisingly well rested and ready to take action. _I have to sort this all out. Somehow I have to discover the right thing to do. I don't want to hurt either of them._ Lifting aside the covers, the prince got gingerly to his feet, still leery of aggravating his abused back muscles. _I don't want to hurt myself,_ he admitted sadly. _I don't want to hurt anymore. Is that so wrong? Is it expecting too much?_

As he dressed, being careful not to trip over the tiger sleeping between his bed and his wardrobe, the prince contemplated just what he should do. There were any number of ways to tackle his current situation, but one thought echoed through his mind again and again. _I've got to talk to Teela. I've got to tell her how I feel... I've got to give us one last try._

Pulling on the first clean clothes that he came to, Adam hurriedly finished his toilette and set out to find the Captain of the Guard. As he'd expected, she was already up and dressed, training in one of the royal family's private courtyards. The sun was low in the sky, and Teela stood silhouetted against it, her copper hair flickering like fire in that dawn light. For a moment Adam was frozen in place, entranced by the sheer force of her beauty. It was difficult even to breathe as he watched her moving, flowing through the motions of her exercise routine. _Oh, my goddess..._

Then, without warning, Teela's movements turned her toward him, her eyes caught his and Adam found himself trapped by her gaze. _Oh Elders! She's going to think I was watching her._ The prince cringed as the captain approached him, a rigid look in her emerald eyes. _Worst part, I was watching her. I am a dead man._ Adam took a deep breathe and steeled himself for the rebuke he knew had to be coming.

"Yes, your highness?" Teela asked as she stopped before him, hands on her hips.

Adam fought to keep his eyes front and center, but images from his dreams flitted through his mind. He found his eyes – and his attention – wandering unforgivably. He wet his lips as he fought to regain his focus but his gaze continued to stray.

"Adam!"

"What?" he asked, blinking foolishly at her as his eyes returned to her face.

Teela's jaw clenched as she crossed her arms and glared at him. "What. Do. You. Need?"

"Need?" Wild, and wholly inappropriate, answers whirled past his tongue fighting to escape. "Uhhh..."

"I don't have all day, your highness."

"Yes, of course, I –"

Her posture loosening slightly, Teela said, "What are you doing up this early anyway? I expected you would have slept in after your adventures yesterday."

Adam's eyes widened as the blood drained rapidly from his head. "Adventures?" he squeaked. "What? I – what?"

"Sneaking off with your little Etherian queen, dodging the palace guards, those adventures..." Teela looked at him oddly for a moment, peering at his face until he felt himself begin to blush, then she shook her head. "Oh, never mind. What did you need, Adam?"

Heart pounding in his throat, the prince swallowed and said, "I want to talk to you."

"About today?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. The prince couldn't help noticing that the skin of her throat was white and very soft, like the rest of her.

_Not that I've felt the rest of her. Oh, my. What am I thinking here? Uhhh..._ Teela cleared her throat meaningfully, and Adam shook his head. "Today? No, not about today."

"Then what?" Teela sighed and drummed her fingers on her arm. "I'm very busy, your highness. If I'm going to go with you today, then I don't have time to chit chat right now."

_This isn't chit chat, Teela!_ He fought down the urge to scream at her. _Why can't she see? Why can't she see me!_ "Go with me today, I... oh, you mean the shopping trip?"

Teela's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Yes, your highness, the shopping trip. I'm so glad to see you remember, considering how much you badgered me to set this up! But then, I suppose you finished all of your shopping for the mid-summer festival yesterday!"

Adam backed up slightly, startled by her anger. "What? No, no. I do want to go shopping with you, Teela. I just – that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I, you see, I, well –"

The prince's words broke off as he fought to control his rising panic. Somehow, this moment was looking less and less promising for a heart to heart confession. _I've simply got to tell her the truth, though. This is my last chance! Why won't she listen? Please, Elders, let her listen to me!_ Adam took a deep breath, then another. He wet his lips, but before he could start again, the captain rolled her eyes and turned away.

"Teela, wait!" he cried, reaching out and grabbing her arm. "This is important!"

She spun around, brows raised. "Important," she repeated scornfully. "Important? Adam, what could you possibly have to say that's important? You don't do any real work. You're not a soldier. You don't help the king and queen run the country. You don't even get involved in court politics! What could you possibly have to say that's important?! Don't waste my time!"

She yanked her arm free of his grasp and turned her back on him. Adam felt himself go pale. Without another word, he pivoted and ran from the courtyard, ran so fast that his lungs burned, ran until the wind dried the tears from his eyes.

* * *

"Important?" Teela glared at the Prince. _Obviously, whatever he has to tell me is so important that he couldn't come home at a decent hour yesterday. It's so vital that it completely drove our shopping trip from his mind! Yet, somehow I doubt it's important enough to stop him from spending all of his time with that Etherian hussy!_ The captain clenched her jaw and swallowed against the hurt that blossomed unexpectedly within her. _I turned my whole schedule upside down just so we could spend today shopping together, and he spent yesterday – He didn't even remember that we were going out today. He just... forgot._

Her pride stung by the prince's seeming indifference, Teela snarled at him. "Adam, what could you possibly have to say that's important? You don't do any real work. You're not a soldier. You don't help the king and queen run the country. You don't even get involved in court politics! What could you possibly have to say that's important?! Don't waste my time!" She pulled her arm roughly from his grasp.

As she ranted, Adam went very still, all the animation draining from him until he seemed barely to breathe. For one relativisticly long moment, he stared blankly at a spot somewhere over her right shoulder. He said nothing, just stood there with the wind ruffling his hair. He looked beyond stunned – all but incapacitated. Teela flinched. She knew she'd gone too far. She knew she'd been much too harsh the instant that the words left her lips – but it was too late to call them back. _Oh, damn._

The captain turned away, fighting to regain her composure. She was going to have to apologize again. She was going to have to apologize a whole lot. _That was cruel and uncalled for, Teela. Adam may be flighty and lazy, but he's never yet been cruel._ She rubbed her face wearily – _far too early in the day to be so tired already_ – and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Adam," she said softly, turning slowly toward him as she murmured the apology. But the prince was already gone. Clenching her fists, Teela marched over to the nearest bench and slumped onto it. She was angry with Adam for ignoring her the last few days, angry with herself for caring so much, and infuriated with Castaspella for monopolizing her friend. She took several deep breaths and slowly opened her hands, wincing as her fingernails pulled free of the bloody divots they'd dug into her palms.

_I'm sorry, Adam. I'm so sorry. Elders, I hate that woman!_

Tilting her face toward the sky, she growled, "What am I going to do now?"

She was still asking herself that question two hours later as she prepared to take the prince and his playmate on their shopping expedition. _It's not our trip anymore. Oh no. Now it's their trip. Curse her._ Girding herself for the day-long battle that she knew was coming – _her dignity against Castaspella's dimples_ – Teela knocked on the door to Adam's chambers. She soon heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the closed door and her breathing quickened. _I will not grovel,_ she vowed. _I will apologize, but I will not grovel. Much._

When the door opened, however, it was not the prince's face that greeted her. Teela's jaw clenched as she looked into the insipidly beautiful face of the Queen of Mystacore. What is she doing in his chambers? Vile, wretched...

"Fair morning, Captain," the wizardess said, her pseudo-friendly smile not quite reaching her eyes. "I'm afraid you are a bit early. We'll be ready to depart in a few minutes." So saying, she shut the door with herself on the inside and Teela left decidedly out in the cold.

_Harlot!_

Teela wrestled with the urge to knock Adam's door off its hinges, grappled with the ardent desire to throttle a visiting dignitary, and then stormed away. They could bloody well come find her when they were ready to leave. She was halfway to the hangar where the royal family's private vehicles were stored before she remembered the promise she's made to herself only a short time earlier.

_I will be nice to Adam,_ she thought, repeating the mantra again and again as she took several long, calming breaths. _I will be nice to Adam. I will be nice to Adam. I will be nice to Adam. I will not kill the strumpet. I will be nice to Adam._

Teela aimed a savage kick at the edge of a windraider, but she hastily pulled her foot back when it occurred to her just how embarrassing it would be to call the outing off due to a broken toe. _She'll be leaving in a few days. Her and Adora both. Then everything will be normal again. Just a few more days. I can handle anything for a few days._

Muttering disgustedly, and earning herself some alarmed looks from the hangar staff, Teela climbed into the nearest windraider and began a check of its systems. _It could be worse. We could be stuck with Skeletor as a royal guest. That would be worse. It would. Wouldn't it? _"Hmmm... " _We could be entertaining Hordak. Or Frosta. _Teela's hand tightened involuntarily around the right-side steering lever, and she yelped as the instrument rubbed against her abraded palm. _Frosta. Just when did Adam kiss her? Does he kiss every Etherian he meets? Has he kissed Castaspella? Conniving trollop! Doesn't Adam have the sense to know a shark when he sees one?_

Then it hit her. _He doesn't,_ Teela reflected, all but overwhelmed by the sudden realization. _Adam doesn't have a clue!_ Leaning her elbows on the dash of the windraider, the captain dropped her face into her hands and began to chuckle quietly. _He's so naïve, so incredibly innocent. He probably doesn't even understand what Castaspella is after. Adam's always flirting with courtiers, with the ambassadors' daughters. It doesn't mean anything to him. It's just a game. That's all._

Finding herself suddenly, and unaccountably, cheered by this notion, Teela hopped out of the windraider and walked calmly back to the prince's chambers, humming as she went. When she reached her destination, she rapped sharply on the door. Once more, Castaspella greeted her, eyebrows raised enquiringly. Before the wizardess could speak, Teela smiled brightly and said, "If you would be so good as to excuse us for a few moments, your majesty, I have pressing business to discuss privately with Prince Adam before we make our departure."

Castaspella frowned, her eyebrows drawing together suspiciously. "If you must –" she began, opening the door more widely and stepping slightly to the side.

"The discussion requires privacy, your majesty," Teela repeated, still smiling benignly as she stepped lithely past the Etherian queen. "Our windraider is ready for departure, if you would care to wait there... " The captain trailed off, the slight tilt to her head clearly indicating that the wizardess should exit – immediately.

Giving her a frosty smile, Castaspella sauntered over to the inner door and knocked lightly. "Oh, Adam, dear," she called, her voice fairly dripping with honey. "Please forgive me for disturbing your rest, but Captain Teela is here, and she insists that she has private business to discuss with you."

Castaspella turned back toward the room, and they exchanged hostile smiles while they waited for prince to make an appearance. If she thinks she's going to push me around, she's picking on the wrong Eternian. Teela smiled maliciously. _Elders, how I'd love to wipe that condescending smirk off her face. She's lucky I'm a patient woman._

Time crawled like a drunken courtier until, at last, Adam emerged from his bed chamber. When she heard the door begin to open, Teela immediately turned toward her friend, grinning broadly. The smile congealed on her lips, however, when she caught sight of him. The prince was not attired in his customary garb. Definitely not. The clothing he wore in its place, and the way he looked wearing it, robbed Teela of speech. Momentarily robbed her even of thought. Castaspella had no such problems.

"Adam, you look marvelous. I knew that hue would suit you," the wizardess declared as she stepped forward and matter-of-factly brushed a stray hair from one of the prince's shoulders. "You really should wear jewel tones routinely. Pastels just aren't your colors."

Teela could not help but agree. The full-sleeved shirt, in a deep wine red, and the skin-tight pants in a faintly glossy black that bordered on obsidian, could not have fitted him better. The pants complimented every curve and angle of his lower body, while the shirt emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. It was nothing at all like Adam's usual foppish style. If anything, there was a certain roguish quality to his appearance. An almost pirate-like allure. The whole ensemble was breathtaking... and Castaspella had chosen it for him.

The captain didn't realize that she was grinding her teeth until she caught Adam watching her, a mistrustful expression in his brilliant blue eyes. "You wanted to speak with me, Captain?"

Teela blinked. _Captain? Oh, dear, I am seriously out of favor at this moment._ Gulping, she squared her shoulder, tilted her chin up and grinned. Never retreat. Charge onward. "Yes, your highness. I have a few things to discuss with you before we leave." She threw a quick, determinedly neutral glance in the queen of Mystacore's direction. "Things that require privacy."

Castaspella raised one elegantly shaped eyebrow and then looked to Adam for direction. The prince's lips thinned and he studied Teela's face. "Is it important?" he asked dryly, his lips unsmiling, his eyes wide and questioning.

_Ouch._ Teela stopped breathing for a moment. _Okay, I deserved that. The Elders know I deserved that._ She smiled and nodded firmly, doing her best to maintain a pleasant, though business-like air. The prince turned his gaze on the Etherian queen. He said nothing, but some form of communication must have passed between them for she inclined her head in reluctant acquiescence.

"As you wish, dearest," Castaspella said in that calm, lilting – irritating voice of hers. "I will be waiting for you at the hangar." Stepping up onto her tiptoes, she deposited a kiss on the Adam's cheek. "Don't be too long."

Teela once more found herself fighting down the urge to strangle the Etherian. _You'd think she owned him! How can anyone be so tawdry?_

Unaware of the captain's thoughts, though perhaps not unaware of the sentiments they represented, the wizardess swept from the room. At the door, she stopped, flipped her hair into place, favored the prince with a lingering, overly familiar smile, and then disappeared from view, trailing the faint scent of lilacs behind her. The prince watched her go in utter silence. The door had been closed for a good five seconds before he turned back to face his childhood friend.

As blank-faced as an ambassador negotiating a treaty, the prince said, "Yes, Captain, what was it you needed?"

Tossing dignity and caution to the wind, Teela rushed forward and threw herself at him. "Adam, I'm so sorry!" she cried. The force of her impetuous hug knocked them both of balance, and the prince had no choice but to clasp his arms about her or risk falling.

For a moment they teetered in space, clinging to each other. Then the moment passed, and Adam quickly regained his balance. As he tried to pull away, Teela squeezed her arms around him and held on with every ounce of muscle she possessed. Short of hurting her, she knew there was no way he could loosen her grip. For at least the next few seconds, she had his undivided attention.

Obviously realizing that his attempts to free himself were futile, the prince stopped struggling. His stiffness made his opinion of the embrace undeniably clear, however. Anger, hurt and frustration fairly radiated from him. Shocked by the extent of his annoyance, Teela forged onward. _He can't hate me. I couldn't bear it if he hated me._

"Oh, Adam, please don't be angry with me!" she begged as she tucked her head under his chin. "I can't begin to say how sorry I am! I know I acted like a complete jerk, and I know you have every right to absolutely despise me! But please, please don't treat me like a stranger."

"Let go of me, Teela," Adam demanded, his voice shaking alarmingly.

"No."

"Teela!"

"No," she repeated determinedly. The prince began to tremble, and she tightened her arms around him, snuggling closer until his shudders ran through her body too. _Don't push me away. Please. You're my oldest friend... my best friend._

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, an odd tone to his voice that she couldn't quite identify. "It isn't necessary. Just leave me –"

Teela huffed. "I'm trying to apologize, you nitwit." No sooner had the words left her mouth than she wished she could call them back again. _That's great. Insulting him will really help. Sure it will._

"Just let go, Teela," Adam snapped. "You don't owe me –"

"Not until you swear you're not mad at me anymore," she interrupted. "I know I was rotten to you, and I'm sorry. Can't you forgive me? We're friends." Then, in very small voice, she said, "You're my best friend. Please, Adam? Please?"

With a long-suffering groan, Adam put his arms around her and squeezed until she squeaked, lifting her off her feet. "All right!" he conceded. "Fine. I'm not mad anymore. There, are you satisfied?"

Teela twisted in his arms and looked up into his face, searching for some sign that he actually meant what he said. But the prince was staring up at the ceiling and would not meet her eyes. "Adam?"

"What?" he asked, still without looking at her.

"I'm sorry," she said again, fairly certain that one couldn't say it too often.

His lower lip and chin and trembled slightly. "You already said that."

"Well, I mean it. I just want to be sure that you know I mean it. I know I've been really dreadful, and –"

Sighing, Adam finally abandoned his study of the ceiling and met her gaze. He still looked wary of her, and his eyes shone with a hurt that would not be easily dismissed. But at least he was listening. "You're my best friend, Adam. Practically a –" Teela swallowed nervously. "Practically a brother." The prince twitched and she hurried on, afraid that he would shut her out again. "I know that nothing is the same as it used to be now that... well, now that you found Adora. But you're the closest thing to a brother I have, the closest thing to family aside from Father, and I hoped that – I don't want to lose –"

Teela broke off, unable to bring herself to continue. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, surprised by just how right it felt for Adam to be holding her. _He smells good too..._

Adam closed his eyes, desperately struggling again the desire to scream his lungs out. _Adora. She's jealous of Adora. Not Castaspella. She doesn't care about me and Castaspella at all. She's just jealous of her "brother." How can she be so blind? Why can't she see what she's doing to me?_ The prince's eyes clenched shut. At that moment, he wanted nothing in the world more than to take Teela by the arms and shake her until she grew a brain. Or, better still, he could shake her until she came to her senses and confessed her undying love for him. _What wouldn't I give for her to love me? What wouldn't I do?_ But that road led only to more pain and anguish. If the love of a sister was the only thing that Teela had to offer him, he would take it and be grateful that she yet cared for him, in whatever manner.

Sighing, Adam lifted Teela off her feet and into a bone crushing hug. Her legs kicked out behind her as her feet left the floor and she gave a surprised laugh. "Adam, you nut!"

"Nut, am I?" Adam asked, allowing a malicious smile to spread slowly across his lips. Shifting his grip so that he could hold her up with one arm, the prince began to tickle the captain's ribs, hitting all the spots he remembered from their more demonstrative childhood. Teela squealed, throwing her head back, and she gasped for breath. He continued to tickle her ruthlessly, chuckling at her near frantic attempts to free herself and doing his utmost to ignore the less appropriate yearnings that her physical proximity aroused in him. _I may not be He-Man, but I'm no weakling. I can handle this. I can._

Teela thrashed in his arms for several seconds, threatening all sorts of dire reprisals. Then... she kneed him in the stomach. Adam dropped her with an, "Oof!" and bent nearly double as he fought to regain his breath, wheezing.

"Ha!" Teela cried as she glared at him self-righteously. "It serves you right!" The prince did not respond. Hands placed firmly on her hips, Teela jerked her chin back and flicked a swath of hair out of her face. "You should know better than to try something like that. You never could – Adam?" The prince gulped air, continuing to wheeze as the captain squatted before his bent form. "Adam, are you all right?" she asked, her eyes wide and very bright. "Oh, no! I didn't – tell me I didn't get you there!"

The prince clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Just my stomach," he rasped through his gritted teeth. "Nothing IMPORTANT!" He gasped as he slowly straightened up, and, laughing ruefully, Teela hurried to help him. "Brat," he muttered in disgust.

"Oh, Adam," she sighed, "I really am very sorry. Truly, I am." They both knew that she wasn't talking about accidentally kicking him in the stomach.

"It's all right, Teela," Adam said slowly. He gazed into her love-filled green eyes, keenly wishing that the emotion that moved her was more than sisterly. "Let's not talk about it anymore." _At least she loves me. I haven't completely lost her. Not completely._ The captain bit her lower lip nervously. Smiling, the prince reached out and brushed her smooth cheek with his fingers. "I'll always be your friend, Teela," he promised earnestly, his heart in every word. "Nothing you could ever do will change that. Don't worry."

Teela grinned back, eyes twinkling and then leaned in for another hug. Adam was careful to keep the embrace strictly brotherly as she snuggled against him. His heart ached and soared all at the same time. _I must have been a very, very bad person in my previous lives to be tortured like this now._

"I've missed you," Teela whispered against his chin.

Adam sighed and closed his eyes, forgetting for one blindingly joyful moment the strangers they'd become in recent years. "I've missed you too, Red."

Teela giggled against his throat, a decidedly strange sensation. "Don't start that again," she groused. "Or I just might suddenly remember that your nickname used to be –"

"Teela!" Adam cried, shoving her away and holding her at arm's length. "Don't you dare! I'll have you locked up in a tower and fed on cookies and milk for the next fifty years!"

Some while later, having repaired the disarray caused by their brief tussle, Adam and Teela set off to meet Queen Castaspella of Mystacore, walking hand in hand, swinging their arms like the children they'd once been.

* * *

Castaspella watched Adam and Teela approach with more than a touch of trepidation. They were holding hands and grinning broadly, and for a moment, the wizardess found it difficult to breathe in the face of their unity. _No! It can't be. She doesn't love him! Why does he look so happy? She can't have told him she loves him! She can't!_ Willing herself to calmness, The Etherian pasted a smile on her face as they reached her.

"Are you ready to depart, Adam?" Some nuance of her voice must have betrayed her anxiety for the Captain of the Guard and Bodyguard looked at her with an oddly speculative look in her cold green eyes. Releasing Teela's hand, the prince stepped closer and put an arm around Castaspella's shoulders.

"Are you all right, Casta?" he asked, his voice rich with genuine warmth and concern, his smile vanishing. "You look a little pale."

Placing one of her hands over his, where it rested upon her shoulder, the wizardess replied, "I'm fine. Just a little hungry perhaps. Why don't we be on our way, and we can all get something to eat when we make our first stop for the day?"

His brilliant blue eyes, so near hers, clouded with worry. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Adam," she drawled. "Don't be silly. I'm fine." Smiling, she leaned closer and gave him a quick and affectionate kiss on the cheek. Teela, out of the prince's field of vision, scowled, and Castaspella couldn't resist the urge to squeeze his hand and nestle into his embrace for just a moment. "Now, let's get to our shopping."

A short while later, they were in the air. Teela, a militarily trained pilot, flew the windraider while Castaspella sat beside her in the front of the vehicle. The wizardess would much rather have joined Adam in the back, but she knew without a doubt that treating his childhood friend like a glorified chauffer would win no points with the prince. _No. Teela and I are stuck with each other,_ she thought as she struggled for some topic of conversation that the warrior wouldn't be likely to take as an insult or an innuendo. _We've got to make the best of this for Adam's sake. I wonder if she would consider my asking whether the garb she normally wears is a uniform to be an insult? Probably._

Conversation faltered altogether when Teela asked about Castaspella's family and the wizardess informed her that she had none. Evidently discomfited to have brought up what she must believe to be a painful subject for the Etherian, the other woman had quickly apologized and then focused determinedly on her flying. In an attempt to make light of the captain's gaffe, Castaspella noted she'd always wanted dozens of children and that she hoped to start a family of her own very soon.

The windraider dipped alarmingly for a moment, and the wizardess seized at the side of the vehicle, her stomach rolling as wildly as their craft. "Hey, Teela! This isn't a circus ride!" Adam protested, leaned over the partition and placing a hand on his bodyguard's shoulder. "Give it a rest, will you?"

Teela's reply was all but inaudible and undoubtedly profane. However, the windraider righted itself with a shuddering jerk. Castaspella released her clutching hold on the vehicle and turned a wide-eyed stare on its pilot. Teela took a several deep breaths, staring resolutely down at the control panel, then muttered, "Sorry. Air pocket."

She flicked on the autopilot and then rested her hands in her lap where they began to shake ever so slightly. Adam didn't seem notice and Castaspella chose not to point out the captain's attack of nerves. "I'm a dreadful pilot," the wizardess said, earning a startled look from Teela. "If I hit an air pocket, I'm afraid we'd all go down with the ship."

The Eternian woman's eyes narrowed and her lips moved as if to respond, but Adam beat her to it. "Oh, I very much doubt that, Casta," Adam said, chuckling. "Knowing your propensity for pretty spells, I'm sure you'd just cast some simple, yet elegant little spell and we'd all wind up landing on a pile of flower petals or some such thing."

Castaspella gaped at him, momentarily dumbstruck. _Is that all he thinks of my skills?_ She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting to clear her mind. _DON'T be paranoid, Casta! Adam has nothing but the greatest respect for you as a woman, a ruler and a wielder of the eldritch powers._ As the silence lengthened, both Adam and Teela began to look decidedly nervous, and the wizardess forced a tentative smile. She laughed half-heartedly – the best she could manage – and said, "Rose petals, specifically."

The prince grinned, his eyes twinkling with relief. Settling his forearms on the partition, he rested his chin on his crossed hands. Castaspella and Teela each swiveled partially in their seats to see him better. "So, ladies, where shall we break our fast? There's an excellent bakery on Plover Street or –" Adam broke off abruptly as the windraider rocked in the air. "Teela?"

The captain whirled back to the controls, swiftly tapping commands into the console as the ship continued to buck and jerk through the sky. "What's happening?" Adam asked in a tone of command quite unlike his usual lighthearted manner. With a lurch, the windraider began to accelerate.

"I don't know yet," Teela shouted back at him. "Give me a moment."

"Right," the prince said. "Your majesty, switch places with me. I need to take the co-pilot's seat." The wizardess nodded instant agreement, and scooted to one side to make room for him. As he climbed forward, she held on for dear life against the pitching and partial rolls of the windraider. Once, she almost fell, but Adam threw and arm around her waist, pulling her tightly against him for one heart-stopping moment. Then, without a word, he lifted her over the partition and into the rear seat. The whole procedure took but moments, yet it seemed to last for an eternity.

The prince and the captain worked in silence, seemingly communicating their questions and answers without words of any kind. Then, Teela turned toward Adam. "It's no good," she shouted over the sound of the wind as the craft rapidly continued to pick up speed. "I've lost control of the ship's functions. We've got to cut power and try to glide in."

"Too dangerous," the prince countered. "What about –" Before he could finish his question, the control panel sparked madly, the ship whined once like a dying animal and they began to fall.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Adora!" Halfway into her horse, Spirit's, saddle, the princess froze.

"Sorceress?" she called back. "What is it?"

"You must hurry, Adora! Your brother's life is in great danger! She-Ra is needed!"

The summons could not come at a worse possible time. The king and queen were already mounted and waiting outside the stable for her. This was supposed to be their day, their special day together. _But Adam... oh, my brother, I should have returned your sword to you. _

"Where? Where is he?" Suddenly, an image flooded her mind, and Adora knew what she had to do. I'm on my way."

"Hurry!"

Climbing into the saddle, the princess patted her horse's neck. "Well, Spirit, I guess it's time for Swiftwind and She-Ra to make another appearance." Her companion whuffled understandingly. Without pause, Adora drew her sword and called upon the ancient power of Grayskull.

_How will I ever explain this to Mother and Father? How does Adam manage?_ With a sigh, she pointed Swiftwind toward one of the stable's many rear exits. It doesn't matter. All that matters now is saving Adam. _Hold on Brother. Help is on the way._

* * *

"Glide! Can you get us into a glide?" Adam yelled as the windraider plummeted.

Teela turned a panicked look on the prince. "No! The helm isn't responding at all! We've lost all power, and the new safety chute hasn't deployed." Adam stared back at her and their eyes locked, Castaspella all but forgotten as they searched for some way out of their current peril.

"We've only got a few more seconds," Adam noted in a surprisingly calm voice. Teela, I –" The captain of the guard threw herself in the prince's arms, burying her face against his broad chest while the wizardess watched, feeling unbearably numb.

_I guess it's up to me,_ she thought. _But not with rose petals._ Rising to her knees on the rear seat of the windraider, maintaining a precarious balance against the winds that buffeted the falling craft, Castaspella threw her arms wide to the sky.

"Spirit of flight, hear my plea! A falcon's wings grant to me!" Drawing powers from the very wind that carried them toward their doom, the wizardess shaped her will into a pair of enormous falcon's wings that grew instantly from the sides of the windraider. The wings unfurled, spreading out to catch the updraft and the windraider's descent slowed. At first, the change was barely noticeable, then, suddenly, they were soaring through the air once more – still going down, but at a controlled speed and incline.

Eyes closed, Castaspella sent tendrils of power questing outward, searching for a place to set down that wouldn't land them in a bog or on some farmstead's roof. Then, in her mind's eye, she saw it. A fallow field. _Perfect,_ she sang inwardly. _Now, if I can just maintain my hold on this ship long enough to get us there..._ Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she fought the power of wind and gravity.

She was but vaguely aware of her fellow travelers, but words of encouragement washed over her like faint whiffs of perfume. "You can do it, Casta. Just a few more seconds. Hold on, by all that's holy, hold on!"

Then, before she quite knew what had happened, it was over. The windraider settled like a feather onto the unplowed field and Castaspella settled with a considerably more jarring thud onto her haunches. _We made it. We made it. We made –_ Her litany broke off with a small shriek as she was seized and pulled from the craft. Thankfully, before she could retaliate, her mind registered just whose arms were holding her. She looked up into his deep blue eyes and felt her heart skip a beat.

_Ancients, I want this man._

"Casta! You did it! That was amazing," Adam cried as he swung her into a carrying hold and then whirled in place. "Absolutely amazing."

With a relieved sigh, the wizardess cuddled against his chest, resting her head upon his shoulder and closing her eyes once more. "I am always happy to be of service to my friends," she murmured.

"Is she injured?" Teela asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "We're out of range for our personal comlinks to contact the palace, but there must be a wide-range comlink in that village across the way. I could go for help while you watch her. The palace surgeon could be here in –"

With a regretful sigh, the queen of Mystacore said straightened away from her love's chest and said, "You can put me down now, Adam. I'm all right. I just needed a moment to gather my strength again, that's all."

With a blindingly happy grin, the prince complied. When she was standing on her own two feet, however, he captured one of her hands and bowed over it. Castaspella flushed rosily as he pressed his lips to her fingers. "A magnificent rescue, my lady," he said. "I thank you."

"The pleasure was entirely mine," Castaspella purred, ignoring Teela and her rolling eyes. "Believe me."

"Actually," a gratingly familiar voice called out, "The pleasure is entirely mine!"

"Skeletor!" Adam growled as all three of them spun in the direction from which the pronouncement had come. Then, before any of them could react further, a blast of energy hit the abandoned windraider, leaving naught but a charred pile of dust in its wake. The three travelers scattered, searching for cover, but there was none to be found.

Fearless, sensing an easy victory, the Lord of Snake Mountain advanced upon them.

Castaspella watched, mystified as Adam crouched a few meters away and reached behind him, desperately grabbing for something on his back and not finding it. What is he doing? Baffled, Castaspella began to draw power to her, but she was still incredibly drained from the ordeal with the windraider and it was slow going. _Not enough. I just don't have enough strength. Focus, Casta! Focus!_

Teela sped by in a blur of motion. The wizardess could not but admire the captain's bravery as she launched herself at the villain, her cobra-headed staff drawn and ready in her skilled hands. But her skill, no matter how great, was no match for the ancient alchemist's power.

With a negligent flick of his hand, Skeletor sent Teela spinning away through the air to land in ungainly heap beside the smoldering remains of their ship. "NO!" Adam cried, leaping to his feet and rushing forward to place himself between the stunned warrior and leering, skull-faced villain. "Skeletor, stop!" It's me you want! Let them go."

"How right you are, Prince Adam," the alchemist drawled. "It is you I want, but why should I spare them when I can just as easily do away with all three of you?"

So saying, the Lord of Snake Mountain turned his ram-headed havoc staff upon her. Castaspella froze. She was looking her death in the eye and knew it beyond all doubt. Worse, she was looking at her love's death, for Adam was the fiend's true target. _No! Not now! Not when I was so close! Please!_ Opening the flood gates wide, she drew power in from the very earth beneath her feet. _Not now! I can't lose him now!_

* * *

Teela awoke with shrill screams ringing in her ears. Getting up onto her hands and knees, she shook her head, fighting to get her vision into focus. The odd screaming sound came again and she realized that it was not screams but laughter that she was hearing... the laughter of homicidal lunatic. She rubbed furiously at her closed eyes, trying to wipe away the film of confusion.

"How very noble," Skeletor said saccharinely, insane laughter still coloring his tones. "How eager you are to sacrifice yourself, boy. Perhaps you know what a joke your very existence is, the playboy prince."

Opening her eyes with a snap, Teela swiveled her head in the direction of Skeletor's voice. What she saw set the blood in her veins to boiling. Castaspella knelt on the fallow ground six, maybe seven meters away. Her eyes were closed and her fists were clenched in the soil beside her knees. Adam stood between the wizardess and the Lord of Snake Mountain... and Skeletor's havoc staff was pointed directly at the prince's chest.

_He-Man better get here soon! Adam needs him now!_

Taking a step closer to villain, Adam spread his hands entreatingly before him. "Leave them out of this, Skeletor, he said, shocking Teela with his calm, steady tones. "This is between me and you. There's no need to involve them."

"Oh, but they are involved, your highness. Your red-haired lackey –" Skeletor swung the havoc staff around and brought it to bear on Teela. Her eyes widened as she started to her feet only to fall back to the earth as one of her legs refused to hold her weight. White hot pain shot through her nerves and a wave of dizziness swept over her. She closed her eyes again, waiting for the nausea to pass. She opened them rapidly when Skeletor began to laugh once more.

Adam had moved. He now stood between Teela and the self-proclaimed overlord of evil. "Oh dear me, it seems you have a dilemma on your hands. You can't shield both of your little friends at once, can you?"

Adam clenched his hands at his sides, and took another step toward Skeletor. His back was a rigid line, quivering with barely suppressed tension. "If you want a fight, bonehead, I'll be more than happy to give you one," the prince snapped, his voice filled with tangible menace. "Just you and me."

The Lord of Snake Mountain cackled delightedly. "Me? Fight you?" He placed a hand against his stomach in a melodramatic manner. "Why, how utterly absurd. You're no warrior, boy! You probably haven't even as much skill as your little trollop over there!" So saying Skeletor swung his havoc staff once more, this time pointing it directly at the Queen of Etheria.

"No!" Adam took a single step toward Castaspella and the Skeletor pivoted, arcing his staff in Teela's direction.

The prince froze. His body trembled with the force of his fury, and Teela wished there was something she could do to help him. Failing that, she wished he'd have the good sense to run away. _He disappears constantly, and now he decides to stick around. Adam, get out of here! Can't you see that he's just playing with you?_

"Well, your highness, I suppose some concessions are due to royalty. I shall allow you to save one of your little playmates. The other I shall kill – just before I kill you. So, which one shall it be? You need only stand before the one you wish to spare, leaving the other an easy and helpless target."

"You won't get away with this, Skeletor. He-Man will stop you." Adam took yet another step toward the villain, and Teela realized abruptly just how close to Skeletor the prince was. In fact, he was now closer to the Lord of Snake Mountain than to either her or Castaspella. Alarm bells rang in her mind. _No. Adam, no. What are you going to do? Get out of here!_

Skeletor, seemingly unaware of the potential danger that the prince posed to him, grinned maniacally. "Oh, I wouldn't count on He-Man to save you boy. After what I've put him through for the last month, I doubt he'll get here in time to attend your funeral. Now, which shall it –"

The Lord of Snake Mountain broke off with a high-pitched hiss as the prince charged forward and drove his shoulder into the villain's stomach. _This can't be happening! It can't be real!_ As Skeletor and Adam grappled with each other, Teela struggled to her feet. Her pulse racing, she pivoted, searching for her missing cobra staff. The sounds of the conflict, grunts and cries of pain, bombarded her. Then, she saw it, glistening in the sun, half buried in the loose soil of an irrigation furrow.

She stumbled after it, falling repeatedly and cursing her own body. _Adam needs help! I need that staff! What is Castaspella doing? Can't she do something? Damn her!_ Teela squatted to retrieve her staff, then spun around to face the battle once more. The prince and his tormentor were rolling on the ground, fighting over the havoc staff. As Teela watched, Adam raised a knee, pulled it back and then let it fly directly at Skeletor's groin. The blow connected firmly, and the Lord of Snake Mountain howled with fury, eyes flaring red. An instant later, Adam gasped with pain, though she could not see what the monster had done to him in retaliation.

Stunned, Teela just watched for a few precious seconds as they continued to fight. Then, regaining her senses, she began hobbling toward them. If she had to, she'd break her staff over the villain's fleshless skull. _How dare he attack Adam! I'll show him what we do to people who try to hurt the royal family. I'll make skull face wish that He-Man was here... to protect him!_

When Teela was no more than four meters away, Skeletor rammed a hand into the prince's sternum, sending Adam lurching away, gasping for breath. Seeing her, the villain spun in place, bringing his weapon to bear upon her once more. Morbidly fascinated, she stared wide-eyed as magical power gathered around the ram-headed tip of the staff. It crackled and swirled, surprisingly beautiful for something so deadly. It brightened hotly, preparing to discharge, and Teela squared her shoulders, steeling herself for the blow to fall.

Then, suddenly, Adam was in front of her, pushing her down. There was a blinding flash. The smell of ozone assaulted her nostrils, and she was falling, propelled downward by the bulk of the prince's body. He landed on top of her, a dead weight, and Teela rolled him off and to the side. She rose to her knees, ready to strike out a Skeletor, determined to hold the villain at bay until help could arrive. Before she could launch herself at him, however, her attention was arrested by Adam's too-still form. His chest didn't seem to be moving. Leaning over, she hurriedly placed two of her fingers against the side of his throat just under his jaw.

_Where is it? Where's the pulse? It has to be there! Please..._

Teela searched frantically for a pulse, but she found nothing. _No! This can't be happening! It can't!_ She pressed her ear to Adam's chest, listening desperately for that steady rhythm. She strained to hear it, frantic for some indication that her friend, her very best friend, was not lost to her. Still, she found no sign of a heartbeat.

_No..._

Blinking, she gazed down into Adam's still face. His eyes were closed, but his mouth was open slightly, almost as if he would speak at any moment. And yet, his face was so passive now – barren of the personality that had always made it striking in life. In death, she saw only the shape of his features, and nothing of their beauty. She held a trembling hand before his parted lips, but no breath emerged. He was empty of life. Hollow. Soulless.

_No._

_I failed._

_I failed him._

_I was his protector, and I failed him._

_Adam is gone..._

They were simply too far from the palace. Too far from any major city for help to arrive in time. The equipment that could save him, the machines that could restore the animation to those fine features were simply out of reach. It was hopeless. She brushed her fingertips across one pale, smooth cheek. It was still warm to the touch, but she knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. Within minutes, his body would begin to grow cold. Adam hates the cold...

"NOOO!" The scream ripped from Teela's throat and echoed across the plain, growing ever louder in her own ears, reverberating through her mind.

Skeletor forgotten, she collapsed across Adam's chest, weeping inconsolably. She screamed into his shirt, clutching his body to hers. The tears poured from her, soaking into his collar, dribbling down his neck and dropping to the hard ground below. _It should have been me! It should have been me! Elders, please, let it be me!_ Sobs racked her slender frame again and again, but her prayers went unanswered.

_No..._

"How touching," Skeletor hissed, sounding far closer than he's been only a few short seconds before. "But surely all your sorrow is wasted upon such a creature. He hardly seems worth mourning."

Teela heard the words. She knew she was still in danger, but she could not bring herself to care. Anger flared briefly, fury on Adam's behalf, but it was quickly overborne by a crushing weight of grief and despair. He was gone. What could Skeletor possibly do to her now? _He can't hurt me more than this. No one can hurt me more than this. All he can do is end my pain. Please, just let him end my pain. Please..._

"Don't worry, my dear girl," the Lord of Snake Mountain said, mock sincerity oozing from every word. "You'll be with your prince charming soon enough."

Teela was vaguely aware of the sound of power being drawn into Skeletor's staff. She heard him chuckle, heard the crunch of his feet moving across the fallow field as he came closer to her. She heard death approaching... and she welcomed it. _Adam, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me..._

Then a second scream split the air, an enraged shriek that grew in volume until even Teela flinched. "Get away from them you monster!" Castaspella screeched. "Get away from them or I swear I will kill you myself!" The air around Teela crackled with power, eldritch energy that seemed to rise from the very soil beneath her.

Without thinking, the captain shifted to cover as much of the prince's body as she could with her own. Even now, especially now, she could not bear the thought that Adam might be maimed or disfigured in some way. Suddenly dry-eyed, Teela did her best to shield him with her own vulnerable form. _One last chance to protect you... I'm so sorry, Adam..._

Levin bolts whizzed by overhead and Skeletor cried out in pain. "Another time, witch," he snarled. "I've accomplished my goal. The rest of you vermin can wait for extermination!" There was a tremendous flash, horribly reminiscent of the spell that took Adam's life, and then silence descended. Teela knew that Skeletor must be gone, but she could not bring herself to move from her protective position over her friend's... body.

A moment later, she felt a small, gentle hand on her back. "Are you hurt?" Castaspella asked. "It looks like Adam is unconscious but..." The wizardess trailed off as the captain groaned and began to cry anew. "Teela?" the Etherian asked, her voice suddenly quite high-pitched. "Teela, Adam is unconscious, isn't he?"

The captain tried to answer, but her throat wouldn't seem to work. She shook her head where it lay against the prince's collarbone.

"No," Castaspella whispered, sounding as despondent as Teela felt. "He doesn't look... injured. What happened?"

Swallowing hard, the captain said, "A spell. Skeletor hit him with a spell, and his heart – his heart just –" She was forced to stop as fresh tears filled her eyes and choked her throat.

"Get off him!" the wizardess snapped, pulling at one of Teela's shoulders.

Infuriated and beyond caring about the consequences of her actions, the captain screamed again. There were no words in her cry, just a primal shriek of pain and anguish. No one would move her. No one!

Grabbing both of her shoulders, Castaspella dug her nails into Teela's exposed flesh. The captain began to struggle, but the wizardess clung tenaciously to her. "Damn you!" Castaspella snapped. "Listen to me! I think we can still save him if you'll just listen to me! But there's not much time!"

"How?" Teela cried, lifting her eyes reluctantly from Adam's still form. The anguish she saw in the other woman's face was nearly a match for her own. "What can we do? Please tell me there's something we can do... "

Her eyes sparkling with unshed tears, the wizardess said, "I can keep his heart beating and start him breathing again, but I need someone to hold the rhythm." Her voice was firm and determined as she gazed into Teela eyes. "Your heart must beat for his. Your lungs must breathe for him. I will be the link. Now, open his shirt and place your hands on his bare chest, just above his heart. I need a few moments to prepare."

"How long will it take to bring him back? How long will the spell –"

"All we can do is keep him alive until help arrives or we drop," Castaspella interjected heatedly. "I can't raise the dead... just keep him from slipping away. Now, let me concentrate!"

Teela nodded, and got to work without asking any further questions. Time was of the essence. Even if they had access to all the equipment in the palace infirmary and her father's lab, they would still need to hurry. If a person was dead too long, then they stayed that way. Though it seemed considerably longer to her fear-heightened senses, Teela knew that Adam couldn't have stopped breathing more than a minute or two earlier. Perhaps less. If the Etherian queen really had a way to revive him, then there was hope. Real hope.

At first she tried simply to unlace his shirt, but she was shaking so hard that her fingers couldn't undo the ties. Pulling a small knife from a compartment inside her staff, she quickly sliced through the cord, being careful not to nick Adam's skin. Then, pulling the shirt roughly open, she placed her trembling hands over the prince's heart. _He's usually so ticklish._

"Hold on Adam," she whispered. "Stay with us just a little longer. Don't leave." _Don't leave me..._ "Please, just hold on a little –"

Suddenly, Castaspella's hands settled over hers. They were scorchingly hot, and Teela's heart lurched in response. She gasped, and heard the sound echoed by the prince. Beneath her hands, deep within that broad chest, Adam's heart began to beat again, keeping time with her own. Eyes wide, her heart racing in time with his, Teela stared down into Adam's face, entranced by the color that was slowly creeping back into his cheeks.

Aware that the heart beneath her hands was racing as fast as her own, Teela closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, slowing it down, inhaling long and deep. Her mind wandered. The field, the battle, even the wizardess slipped away as she focused inward. It was as if she could feel Adam's heart beating within her, alongside her own. As if his breath was in her lungs, as if his mind itself was opening to her...

"No, Teela. Do not delve too deeply," a familiar voice spoke in her head. "Some boundaries are not meant to be crossed."

"Sorceress?"

"Yes, Teela. Help is on the way."

Her eyes still closed, the captain felt a light, almost feathery touch on her arm. Then warmth trickled through her body, like sunlight through leaves. She had the sense of another mind passing through her, following the slender thread that linked her life to Adam's and then sinking away, out of reach.

* * *

Adam sat sideways in his favorite, cushioned chair, one leg dangling over the armrest, an open book across his lap. The sun shone in through the window, illuminating the pages. A soft, warm breeze accompanied the sunlight. Dust motes danced in the light, swirling like giddy fireflies. The prince yawned and turned the page. He was drowsy, but that was hardly a surprise. Lately, it seemed as if he was always tired. It was just life. It had a way of wearing anyone out. If that person was a prince and a champion to boot, then he was bound to spend a lot of time yawning. Except for that, he felt pretty good.

Well, maybe he was a little hungry. He wouldn't have minded having something to snack on, but the desire for food wasn't urgent. In fact, nothing felt very urgent. For the first time in many years, there was nowhere he had to go and nothing he had to do. He could relax. Smiling, he reached down to pet Cringer, but the tiger was not in his usual place at Adam's side The prince's brow furrowed as he his fingers passed through the spot where the cat's head should have been.

"Cringer?" he called, sitting up and setting the book aside. "Where are you, Cringer?" He stood and turned in place, quickly searching the room with his eyes, but there was no sign of the large feline. It seemed wrong to be here without his companion. Very wrong. They should be here together. He was positive of that. They were supposed to go... somewhere... together.

Panic stirred in his gut and Adam dashed for the door. "Cringer! Where are you?!"

As Adam reached the door, however, it dissolved into a fine mist and was replaced by a fully stocked bookcase. Baffled, the prince spun around and saw that the door had reappeared on another section of wall. As he started toward it, it swung open of its own accord, and a blindingly bright light poured forth from the portal. He turned quickly away and threw up a hand to shield his dazzled eyes. After a moment, the light dimmed slightly, and Adam turned back to face the door, gazing at it through the slits between his fingers.

A shadowy figure stood there, backlit and blocking out much of the light. The outline was amorphous at first, but it gradually shifted into the outline of a large man. Adam watched apprehensively as the man stepped forward and into the room. The figure gestured with its hand, and the light dimmed yet again. The portal was bearable to look at now, and the prince watched it in fascination, entranced by the swirling, rainbow-colored eddies. The creature who'd come through the door was temporarily forgotten.

"Adam?" the figure spoke quietly, and the prince twisted his head around to gaze into the man's face. It was his father, the king of Eternia.

"Father?" he asked, somewhat alarmed by the solemn look on the king's face. "Father, what are you doing here? And where is Cringer? He's supposed to be with me. I don't understand why he isn't here."

Randor extended an arm toward his son, palm upward, a gentle smile spreading across his lips. "It's all right, Adam," his father replied, his tone soothing away some of the prince's worry. "Cringer will join you later, but right now it's time for us to be going."

"Going?" Adam asked, neither moving nearer nor walking farther away from that outstretched hand. "Going where? I don't understand."

His father smiled lovingly and, stepping closer, he reached out to ruffle the prince's hair. "Father!" Adam protested, ducking away.

Randor laughed. "Adam, I'm so proud of you. You've worked hard and sacrificed a great deal for the sake of this land and its people. No one could or should expect you to do more." The king's chill fingers came to rest on Adam's cheek, and despite the warmth he saw in her father's eyes, the prince shivered slightly. "Now, come along, Son," he said, once more holding his hand out to the prince. "It's time for you to rest. You've earned it."

"Oh," Adam said, feeling mildly embarrassed by the fuss he'd made. "Is that all?" Randor nodded. "And Cringer will catch up with me later?" The king nodded again. With a sigh, Adam held out his own hand. His palm hovered over his Father's for a moment, then –

With a shocked cry, the prince wrapped his arms around his torso and fell heavily to his knees. Pain ripped its way through his chest. His heart raced. Faintly, beneath the frantic pounding of his heart, he heard a distant voice whispering urgently to him. "Hold on Adam," the voice pleaded, thin and reedy. "Stay with us just a little longer. Don't leave. Please, just hold on a little –"

"Teela?" Adam called, "Is that you?" He listened, straining to hear her, but all he could make out was the booming beat of his own heart. It was so loud, almost as if there were two hearts beating in his chest. But that was impossible...

A second jolt of pain surged through him, and Adam doubled over, arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. "Father, what's happening to me?" he asked, frightened by the intensity of the pain that tore at him. "Please, why does this hurt so much?"

Randor knelt calmly beside him, placing one cool hand on his son's arm. "Take my hand and the pain will stop," he promised. "Just take my hand and it will all be over. You can rest at last, Champion of Eternia."

Fighting against the pain, fighting the light-headedness that threatened to send him spiraling downward into oblivion, Adam reached for his Father's hand. To rest... that would be nice.

"NO!" The cry rang through the air, and the prince clapped his hands over his ears, trying desperately to muffle the sheer volume of the exclamation. "Prince Adam! Stay away from the door! You must not go through that portal!" The voice was strident, but it was also familiar. Adam fought to remember, but he could not place the speaker.

The king, who seemed even more alarmed than his son felt, stepped away and began to scan the space around them. Blue fire burned within the depths of his eyes, and the prince felt the stirrings of fear.

That's not my father, he realized abruptly. Elders, what is happening to me? Pushed beyond endurance, the prince made it to his feet and retreated to the far corner of the room where he hunched down, waiting to see what would happen. The man – _That is not my father!_ – continued to search the room, swiveling his head to take in every possible angle. There was something fluid and unnatural about the way that the creature moved, and Adam wondered how he could ever have mistaken it for the king.

Then, without warning, the man ceased his survey and turned his entire body, focusing his attention on a spot near the center of the room, a spot that was a mere two or three meters away from the prince. As Adam watched, tiny pinpoints of light appeared, hanging in the air like a swarm of drictens. They whirled for a moment and then coalesced into the translucent form of a woman. A woman whom the prince knew very well.

"Teela!" Adam shouted, relieved beyond imagination. He stood, grinning happily at her. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

For an instant, the woman seemed puzzled by his greeting. Then, smiling softly, she said, "Come to me, Adam. You must come away with me. You don't belong here... "

The woman held her arms out to him, but the prince stayed firmly where he was, his brows knit in confusion. The face and the body – though translucent – were that of Teela, but the voice was wrong. Very wrong. He looked closer, scrutinizing her image and realized that she was, in fact, not Teela's exact duplicate. Her jaw was a trifle wider, her ears a touch smaller, her smile... infinitely sadder.

"Who are you?" he demanded, hunching down again. "You're not Teela! You're another one like him, aren't you?" he accused, pointing toward the fake Randor.

The woman shook her head, further opening her hands, beckoning to him. "You know me, Adam. Your heart sees me as I truly am, sees what lies beyond the robes of power, sees me as I see myself. You know me, child."

The prince's eyes narrowed as he studied the woman's face. There was something so familiar about her eyes... "Sorceress?" he whispered. She smiled and nodded. "What are you doing here? And where are we? I thought I was in my room, but this place feels wrong somehow." He glanced about, and as he did so the very air seemed to thicken, shadows lengthened across the floor, and the light beyond the windows dimmed to darkness. Only the rainbow brilliance of the portal remained to illuminate the small space. The prince swallowed nervously.

"Yes, Adam, it is I," she said gently. "As for where we are, that is a bit more difficult to explain. It can wait, however. Right now, I need you to come to me. Take my hand. Your friends are waiting for you." When he hesitated, she added, "They're very worried."

"Teela and Castaspella!" He leapt to his feet, but when he tried to run to her, the man who looked like his father was suddenly in his path, blocking the way. The prince tried to go around the pseudo-king, but the creature moved in time with him. Infuriated, Adam lunged for the man, but he jerked to a stop as the Sorceress threw herself between them. She screamed once, a shrill cry of pain as the man whirled and caught her arms with his hands. They fell to the floor in an explosion of light and sound. Adam backed hastily away, unsure what to do or who to trust. His eyes rose from the struggling pair on the floor to the shimmering portal, waiting open all this time.

Maybe he could find some answers through that door.

Before Adam could move, however, the combatants broke apart, and he was left with the pseudo-Randor standing between him and the young Sorceress. "I will not allow you to harm him, Oracle!" the man said, his icy voice sending shivers up Adam's spine. "His life in this world of possibilities is at an end. He must pass on."

Breathing hard, the Sorceress said, "I am not here to harm him, Sentinel. I am here to help him return to the world of the living. It is not his time to die." Her gaze shifted from the man to Adam, and the prince wondered what horror she must see in his face.

It was like having someone shake him. _Die? Am I dead? That would explain a lot. Dead..._ He knew that he should rail again it, should fight for his life, but he was so tired, so lethargic. Lately, it had all seemed so pointless. Nothing he did had any lasting impact. Skeletor remained as much of a threat as ever, and new enemies emerged every day. What had He-Man really accomplished? Certainly, Prince Adam had accomplished nothing save to alienate his family and friends.

"You must not think that way, Adam!" the Sorceress cried, stepping closer, earning a snarl from the Sentinel, who remained planted firmly between them. "He-Man is a great hero! The people need you! Your family needs you! You have much to live for!"

Adam shook his head. "The people have She-Ra, and my family has Adora. They don't need me." The Sorceress started to protest, and he added, "I'm sure, if I really am dead, that a new hero will rise." Ignoring the growing pain in his chest, he smiled at the Sorceress, doing his best to reassure her. "Don't feel badly about this, Teelana. I always knew that I wasn't likely to see my old age. If it's my time, then just let me go. No one will blame –"

"Teela is right! You are an idiot!" she snapped, fury radiating from her like heat from the sun. The prince blinked and took a step back, wary of her ire and the power it generated. "You are not replaceable! What of your children? What will become of them?" she demanded heatedly.

"My children?" Adam repeated, his eyes widening as he gaped at her. "But I don't have – I've never even – I can't have any children."

The sentinel looked away and grew very still for a moment, reminding Adam startlingly of Roboto when he was accessing some tremendous databank. After a moment of concentration, he fixed his steely gaze on the Sorceress' face and said, "The champion has no children. You are lying. You are a threat, and you must leave this place." Then, without another word, he spun around and walked toward Adam. The prince backed hastily away, alarmed by the creature's seeming hostility.

The pseudo-Randor immediately stopped and regarded him curiously. Gradually, his face shifted until he once more strongly resembled Adam's father. The Sentinel smiled benignly and held out a hand. "It's all right, Adam. I am here to help you. I will guard you on your journey to the next world. You need not fear me, Champion."

Adam's gaze was caught and held by the Sentinel's. The warmth and sincerity in the man's eyes was undeniable. _Surely, Adam thought, I can trust this creature. Even if he is not my father, he clearly means me no harm. Surely... _

The prince doubled over as a sharp pain in his chest took his breath away. Through the pain, through the haze it created in his mind, he was aware of but one fact. His heart was drumming and a second drum beat alongside his. How could this be happening? If he was dead, why did it hurt so much? _Can't I ever do anything the normal way?_

The drumming grew louder, and with it a dear and much loved voice grew clearer in his mind. "Adam, please come back to us. Don't die. Don't leave me. Please... "

_Teela. If only I could... _

The pain receded for a moment, and the prince straightened, once more catching the Sentinel's eyes with his own. He was instantly mesmerized.

"Trust me, Champion. You must trust me." Adam found himself reaching toward the creature without consciously making a decision to do so, and only a shrill cry from the Sorceress stopped him from taking the Sentinel's hand.

"No!" she screamed, running forward and placing herself between them once more. Disoriented for a moment by the sudden break in the Sentinel's gaze, Adam swayed on his feet.

"You must not interfere!" the creature snarled again. "Until his soul passes on, he is vulnerable. He could be destroyed even now!"

"But it isn't his time," she insisted. "I am an oracle. You know this."

"Yes," the Sentinel agreed, turning to watch her dubiously.

"It is not this man's time to die," she declared, the shifting light and shadows creating the tantalizing illusion of wings behind her spread arms. "His children are not yet born. But I have foreseen their coming. His wife will bear his first child with the rising of the sun in 553 days. He cannot die!"

_My children! Can it be true? But, who? Teela? Castaspella? My children?_

A grin spread slowly across the prince's face. "My children!" Dashing past the Sentinel, he threw his arms around the Sorceress and lifted her into the air. "My children! I'm going to be a father!"

With a startled laugh, the Sorceress hugged him back and gently kissed one cheek. "Yes, Adam. You are. Now cease this foolishness and return to the world where you belong."

Chuckling, the prince set her back on her feet and turned to face the Sentinel. "I'm sorry, but it's not my time. I can't go with you."

The creature blinked, seeming puzzled by the prince's statement. It opened its mouth, on the verge of speaking, but a sudden, blinding pain sent the prince to his knees. Adam clutched at his chest, closed his eyes and fell into darkness.

* * *

She-Ra gasped, her vision going black for a moment as the world spun around her. When everything righted itself again, she discovered that she was still in the saddle, clutching Swiftwind's mane as they flew at high speed above the Fertile Plains. There was a tremendous pain in her chest... and an aching hollow place in the vicinity of her heart.

"NO!" she screamed, burying her face against the horse's neck. Tears welled in her eyes then fell free, dampening Swiftwind's hide beneath her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed. _Adam! No... He can't be gone!_

"She-Ra!" her companion cried, his deep voice filled with concern. "What is it, my friend? What's wrong?" He turned his head back toward her, as far as he could go with dislodging her from her desperate clutch on his neck.

She-Ra choked back the screams that clawed at her throat. "Adam," she whispered disconsolately. "It's Adam, Swifty. It's my... my... brother –" Fresh sobs tore at her, and the princess willingly gave way to them. "He's dead! I felt it! It felt him die!"

Her companion let out a shrill, whinnying scream of his own. "No, She-Ra! You must be mistaken. The Champion of Eternia cannot be dead! It must be a mistake!" Without consulting her, Swiftwind folded his wings in slightly, doubling their speed to dangerous levels.

_Please be right, Swifty. Please. I can't lose him._ As they sped toward their target, She-Ra was overwhelmed by remembered images of her brother. That dreadful moment when she'd realized that he was in fact her brother, the incredible joy she'd felt so quickly followed by terror when he collapsed inside Hordak's foul trap. There was the day he met Castaspella for the first time, the shameless way he'd flirted with the Etherian queen, enjoying her quick wit and evident admiration. The way he'd blushed when Frosta kissed him in He-Man's form. The way he cried, when he admitted the end of his hopes where Teela was concerned. Introducing her to their parents. Riding Battlecat into the sunset. Always a step ahead, forging the way. Always there when she needed him. Stubborn. Beautiful. Proud. Loving. Ridiculously humble. Her big brother... Slowly, a new emotion began to take root in She-Ra's soul. Something she had not felt in many years. Something she had not allowed herself to feel since her days as a Horde captain.

Rage.

Real, genuine, unrestrained fury coursed through her being, setting her blood aflame. _Skeletor will pay for this. He'll pay for taking my brother from me. Adam, I promise you, I swear by all that I hold holy, the villain will pay._ She straightened slowly on Swiftwind's back, her eyes wide open, the wind drying the tears on her cheeks. A strange calm had come over her. _I was a Horde captain long before I was a champion. The Sword of Protection may not be used to kill, but I have hands..._

"Fly faster, Swiftwind," She-Ra commanded, her voice hard as the steel of her sword. "The others may still be in danger. There's not a moment to lose."

Whickering his agreement, the horse picked up speed yet again. Within seconds they were in sight of the farm that She-Ra had seen in the Sorceress' mind. There was the field where she'd seen them standing, talking and laughing while Skeletor crept up upon them, plotting his attack.

_He planned this,_ She-Ra though angrily. _He spent weeks wearing He-Man down, killing him one little piece at a time, just waiting for a chance to assault a member of the royal family... my family. That monster has been scheming for months._ Her eyes narrowed as her fists clenched in her companion's mane. _He will sorely regret his cruelty._

The wind whipping through her hair, She-Ra scanned the ground searching for the windraider. There was no sign of it. _Where could it be?_ Then, as they listed to the west, she caught sight of a large ashen heap with a ring of debris scattered around in. Within that ring of destruction knelt two women. She-Ra's brother lay, unmoving, on the ground between them, his head pillowed on Teela's lap.

_Adam! Oh, my poor brother..._

"Down, Swifty!" the princess ordered, her eyes fixed on the still form of only sibling. "Oh, hurry, my friend!"

"Yes, She-Ra," the winged-horse replied, going into a controlled dive.

She-Ra was out of the saddled and stumbling toward her brother before Swiftwind's hooves had even touched down. "Adam!" she cried, falling to her knees beside him, oblivious to the presence of the other women. Tears once more welled up in her eyes as she captured one of his hands and pressed it to her cheek. "My poor, dear –" the princess broke off with a gasp. His hand is warm. He's still warm? "Adam?" Hardly daring to breath, she anxiously studied her brother's body. To her amazement, his chest was moving steadily up and down.

Sitting back on her haunches, She-Ra took in the whole tableau through misty eyes. Her attention had been so wholly focused on Adam that, until that moment, she had not even registered the faint nimbus of light that shrouded the queen of Mystacore. Nor had she noticed Teela's hands, pressed flat to Adam's chest. She peered closer and it quickly became obvious that the captain and the prince were breathing in unison, their hearts beating as one. More amazing still, a falcon perched on Teela's gauntleted wrist. And not just any falcon...

_Zoar! Here? But, Grayskull is unprotected! Why would the Sorceress – _

"A spell! It must be a spell," the princess murmured, stunned almost beyond the capability of thought. "They're keeping him alive! Oh, thank the Elders!"

"Adam is alive?" Swiftwind asked, speaking just beside her ear, nearly causing her to jump out of her skin.

Turning a beaming smile on her companion, she blinked back her tears. "Yes, Swifty. He's alive somehow," she said, tear filled voice heavy with relief. "Now, I've got to see what I can do to help."

Swiftwind nodded, then rubbed the side of her head with his muzzle. "I will stand guard, She-Ra. Have no fears, my friend, for I will allow nothing to interfere." She-Ra smiled thankfully at him, cupped the side of his jaw in her palm for a moment, then turned back to her brother. Placing her hands beside Teela's, She-Ra quickly entered the trance that would allow the Sword of Protection to heal her brother's wounds.

As she sank herself into the meld she sensed few injuries in Adam aside from an irregularity between the beating of his heart and his nervous system. An infinitesimal tendril of power wound its way from the sword, through her hands, and into her brother's body. It tweaked that vital rhythm, putting his system back into synch with itself. He spasmed beneath her hands and drew a deep shuddering breath. Teela breathed in with him, and before she could even considering pulling free of the meld, She-Ra felt the sword move to heal the captain's wounds as well, sending power coursing through She-Ra, into Adam and across the link between him and Teela. Similar offshoots of power found their way into Castaspella and Zoar, healing whatever mild maladies they encountered.

As the healing meld dissipated, the sword once more became quiescent. She-Ra opened her eyes in time to see both of the other women collapse to the fallow ground, sinking almost in slow motion. The link between them and the prince broke with a crackle of electricity and a sound like shattering glass. Castaspella moaned once and was silent. Teela never made a sound as she crumpled. The only one to speak was Zoar. Teela did not stir, not even when the falcon that had perched like a statue on her arm took flight, disappearing into the distance with a shrill and weary cry.

"Get him to safety, She-Ra. Skeletor may yet return. Adam is his target. I know this now. Get him to safety!"

Perhaps because of the five-way link in which the healing was performed, She-Ra did not feel remotely drained. They had pooled their energy with the sword as a focus, all of them bent on but one thought. She watched the Sorceress go, feeling emotionally numb but surprisingly energetic. _She's no doubt headed back to Grayskull. I hope she will be all right on her own for the journey._ It was the last thought that She-Ra had to spare for anyone other than her brother for some while.

Gathering his still limp form into her arms, She-Ra tenderly brushed the hair back from his face. Mindful of their potential audience, she did her best to address him as a champion should and not as a sister. It was poor effort at best.

"Prince Adam? Your highness, can you hear me? Oh, please, Adam. Please be all right," She-Ra begged, as she cradled her brother's body in her strong arms, her head bent low over his. "Just open your eyes... please." She-Ra began to rock gently back and forth, Teela and Castaspella utterly forgotten. _I should never have let him leave the palace without his Power Sword. I should never have let him go out without me when I knew that Skeletor was on the rampage. I should have stuck close. I should have –_

The princess' rambling thoughts broke off abruptly as her brother's eyelids fluttered for a moment. She watched with bated breath as he turned his head to the side, wet his lips and then, ever so slowly, opened his eyes. "Adam?" she said, nervously smoothing his hair away from his face as she fought back yet more tears. "Say something, Adam. Please."

The prince looked up at her, his eyes gradually focusing on her face. When, at last, he got a good clear look at her, he groaned. "She-Ra?" her brother said, raising a hand to rub at his face uncertainly. "Oh nuts, I think I forgot to duck..."

Half laughing and half sobbing, the champion wrapped her arms around her brother and buried her face in his shoulder. "Oh, Adam! Don't you ever do that again! I was so frightened, thinking I'd lost you. I love you so much! Please don't leave me like that again!"

"Don't cry," he pleaded, wrapping his own arms around her and holding her tightly. "I hate it when you cry."

* * *

_I wonder if this is what a hang-over feels like?_ Teela gingerly rolled onto her side, eager to get away from the clod of dirt that had clearly been attempting to burrow into her side permanently. As she straightened, she caught sight of the prince of Eternia, and every other thought fled her mind for a moment. _Adam! He's alive! We did it! We did it! Oh, thank you, Sorceress... thank you._

Rising to a sitting position, she watched anxiously as the prince opened his eyes and grimaced up at – _She-Ra!_ Teela's jaw dropped open. She blinked repeatedly, half wondering if her eyes mightn't be playing tricks on her. Question upon question bombarded her. _When did she get here? How did she know we needed help? Why wasn't she here sooner? Where's He-Man? Why is she crying? What –_

Then, She-Ra's words penetrated the fog around Teela's brain, and the captain found herself wishing for unconsciousness to take her once more. "I was so frightened," the Etherian champion sobbed, clutching the prince to her, "thinking I'd lost you. I love you so much! Please don't leave me like that again!"

For one eternal moment, Teela's world went blank, an endless white sea of numbness. Then, everything came spiraling back in at the speed of light, and the captain knew one thing beyond any doubt.

She-Ra loves him. She-Ra loves Adam. She-Ra...

Teela sat there, breathing hard and gaping at the tableau before her. _How can this be happening? Is there any girl on Etheria who doesn't love Adam?! Is there any woman on Etheria that Adam hasn't flirted with?_ The lovers, for there could be no doubt that the prince returned the champion's affection, pulled apart and grinned stupidly at each other.

"You are quite late, She-Ra," Adam noted, sounding decidedly smug. "I would have –" He broke off abruptly, a look of wild dismay coming over his features. "Ancients! Where are they? Where's Castaspella? Where's TEELA!"

Struggling away from the champion's embrace, the prince got rapidly to his feet, and turned in place, scanning the area with his gaze. His eyes immediately settled on her, and he let out an alarmed sound that the captain hadn't heard since Cringer was a kitten. Then, before Teela could say a word, Adam had crossed the intervening distance and scooped her into his arms. He clasped her tightly for one endless moment, their hearts beating close together while his breath ruffled the hair on the top of her head. Then, he sat her back on her feet, keeping one arm draped comfortingly around her shoulders.

The blue eyes that gazed down into hers were a study in relief and other inexpressible emotions, and Teela felt her anger draining away in the face of his genuine concern. "Thank the Ancients you're all right," he said, hardly louder than a whisper. "I thought that Skeletor's blast might have hit you."

The captain bit her lip, abruptly recalling just how close she'd come to losing her best friend, the only man she... Heart thumping like a kettle drum, Teela pulled the prince into a bone crushing hug of her own. "You idiot. You're the one who almost –" She couldn't say it. She simply couldn't say the words. Especially not that word. Not in relation to Adam. _Oh, gods and goddesses above, what am I going to do?_

"I'm fine!" Adam protested, laughing against the top of her head. "You're almost as bad as She-Ra, but at least you're not crying. You're obviously made of sterner stuff." Pulling back slightly, Teela glared up at him, hoping her eyes weren't as misty as they felt. The prince just wiped a smudge of dirt from her face and refrained from commenting on the state of her eyes. Or on the flush that had gradually crept across her skin under the influence of his steady gaze. "Now, Teela, where is Castaspella?"

"Here, your highness," She-Ra called, and they both turned toward the sound of her voice. The champion was kneeling beside the crumpled form of the queen of Mystacore. Castaspella was unmoving and dreadfully pale, and for one horrible instant Teela feared that the Etherian had given her own life to save Adam's. But She-Ra did not look remotely distressed enough for that to be the case, and Teela heaved a sigh of relief. The prince, however, did not seem reassured by their rescuer's calm manner.

"Castaspella!" he cried, dropping to one knee beside the unconscious woman and taking one of her hands in his own. Staring down into the Etherian's pallid face, he began to chafe her wrists gravely. "She-Ra, what's wrong with her? Is she injured, or –"

"Easy, Adam," his lover soothed him. "She's just completely exhausted. At a guess, I'd say it took every reserve of power she had to perform the spell that saved your life. It almost took more than that."

Adam looked up and gazed, dumbfounded, into the champion's eyes. "Spell? But, I thought that you were the one who... I mean, that you and Sorceress... " Eyes wide, he glanced back down at the still form of the wizardess. Leaning down, he slipped his hands beneath Castaspella and lifted her into his arms, cradling her tenderly against his breast. "Will she be all right?" he demanded, his own face gone ashen with worry. The Etherian queen let out a small sigh, and the prince clutched her more tightly against him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"She'll be fine, your highness," She-Ra reassured him. "She's just exhausted and desperately in need of rest and nourishment. But there shouldn't be any lasting harm done. At least, my healing trance didn't detect anything."

The princess watched her brother digest that news, then relax infinitesimally. He looked down in the face of the woman who was sleeping so contentedly in his arms, his expression difficult to decipher. "Good," he said. Nothing more. Then, slowly, his eyes lifted from Castaspella and lit on Teela once more. There they rested, unfathomable.

_What's going through your mind, brother mine?_ The champion heaved a sigh, surreptitiously, wiping away one last tear and clearing her throat. "Well," she said when she felt confident enough to speak again, "we need to get you three back to the palace." She glanced over at Swiftwind. Her mount stood nearby, silently watching the proceedings and, no doubt, memorizing everything he saw for later discussion. Their eyes met, and he whickered softly in response.

"I fear I cannot carry all of you, She-Ra," he admitted reluctantly. "Three of you, but not all four."

She-Ra heard a gasp behind her a whirled around to see what was wrong. Teela's eyes were as wide as saucers as she gaped, open mouthed, at Swiftwind. "It... talks," she squeaked. "I didn't know that it - " Swallowing, she broke off and shifted her appalled gaze to She-Ra. "First Battlecat and now Swiftwind. Are there any champions who don't come with talking animals?"

For a moment, no one spoke, then Adam broke into peals of laughter. "I think it's a requirement, Teela. But I promise you, Swiftwind has much more refined manners than Battlecat does." The horse pawed the ground and tossed his head, evidently amused by this announcement. Shifting the Etherian queen slightly in his arms, the prince walked over to his sister. Smiling, he winked at her and said, "All right, She-Ra, you climb back up into the saddle and I'll hand Castaspella up to you. Then Teela can get on behind you."

She-Ra blinked, and gazed with confusion into her brother's identical blue eyes. "Adam, didn't you hear him? Swiftwind can't carry all of us."

"I know, that's why the three of you need to go," he said, looking slightly puzzled by her question. "I'll make my way back to the palace on foot. Maybe I can - "

"Absolutely not!" She-Ra's eyes widened as the captain of the guard suddenly appeared behind the prince, her face a mask of fury. Teela clamped one hand down on Adam's arm and spun him around to face her. He stumbled, nearly dropping Castaspella, and the princess hastily took the queen of Mystacore from his arms. The instant that both Etherians were out of the way, Teela lit into the prince.

"How stupid could you possibly be?" she screeched, her voice growing in volume as grabbed the front of the prince's shirt and held it tightly in her fist. "How can you even suggest that we leave you behind? Adam, you died! Don't you understand that? You died, right there - " one arm whipped out to point at nearby spot on the ground - "right there, in my arms. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?"

Wide-eyed, mouth hanging slightly open, the prince stared, dumbfounded at his childhood friend. She-Ra, feeling more than a little taken aback herself, gently set Castaspella down on a relatively soft patch of earth and then waited, listening quietly, to see who would win the shrieking match. So far, Adam hadn't so much as made a peep. He just stared at Teela like mouse suddenly confronted by a python.

"Well?" the captain demanded.

The prince shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear it. "Teela, I have to stay behind. Swiftwind can only carry three people. Castaspella is in no condition to stay behind, She-Ra needs to fly Swiftwind, and you should return with them."

"I should return . . ." Teela repeated, her voice dangerously low. "I should return? Adam... your highness, you are Skeletor's target! The one who needs to get back the palace right away is you!" As she spoke, she placed her hands on the prince's shoulders, and though she started out angrily enough, by the end of the diatribe her eyes were imploring him to go. "Please, Adam. Just get on that... ummm... is it a horse?"

Adam shrugged uncertainly, and She-Ra rolled her eyes in exasperation. When they showed no sign of breaking apart, she said, "Teela is right, Adam. The Sorceress ordered me to get you to safety, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

"But the others," Adam protested, turning an imploring look of his own on her. "Castaspella has to get back to the palace right away!"

"I agree," Teela said, causing the prince to turn back to her. "We owe her the best possible care, and she should be examined by the palace surgeon as soon as possible. So should you."

_I couldn't agree more, the princess thought wearily. I'll feel better when you're all safely back at the palace. So let's get on with it._ Stepping forward, She-Ra said, "Right. Now we need to - " But neither of them was listening to her.

" I won't leave you here," Adam said, his voice quiet but very firm as he looked down into the captain's drawn face. Teela looked silently into his eyes, clearly moved by his earnest concern for her safety. "I won't leave you."

_Wonderful,_ She-Ra thought, glancing aside and catching Swiftwind's amused gaze. Could the melodrama get any thicker? She feared it could. The princess locked eyes with her companion. Their bond was a powerful one, strong enough to speak without words. And right now, Swiftwind was telling her not to worry. He would take care of her family.

She-Ra nodded. Turning back, she saw that Adam and Teela were still standing close together, arguing fiercely. Sighing, She-Ra placed on hand on each of their shoulders, startling them so badly that they both jumped. "I'm staying," she said. This was greeted by a further flurry of protests, but the she merely raised her eyebrows and regarded them with an unwavering silence and resolve. When their objections wound to a halt, she said, "I am staying, and it is not open to negotiation."

Something in her face must have gotten through to Adam, because her brother put a hand on her hand, and said, "Well, I suppose if anyone can take care of themselves, you can." He grinned wryly at her, and She-Ra smiled back at him. _What did that confession cost you, Adam? First you have to admit that you can't do it all alone, and now you have to let me be the hero while you run for cover._ Forgetting, for a moment, their audience, the princess reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes. A sharply indrawn breath brought her back to herself, and she shifted her gaze to Teela.

The captain was standing motionless, stiff and radiating hostility. "Teela?" But she did not answer. Instead, the warrior walked over to Castaspella, gathered the Etherian queen into her arms, and then walked over to Swiftwind.

"Get in the saddle, Adam, and I'll hand her up to you," she said frostily. The prince hurried to obey. Swiftwind, sensible creature that he was, went down onto his knees to make their labors easier. Once Adam was comfortably ensconced with Castaspella cradled in his arms, Teela turned back to face She-Ra. Her face was exceedingly blank, almost aggressively neutral as she opened her mouth to speak. But no words emerged. Instead, the captain closed her mouth with a snap, pivoted on her heel and address Swiftwind directly.

"Do I need to take the reins, or should I just leave the flying to you?" she demanded. Then, as if suddenly remembering that she had no call to be cross with Swiftwind, she bit her lip and reached out to stroke his shoulder. "I've never... you're not like the other flying horses I've known," she explained. "I don't know what to do."

She-Ra's eyes rose into her hairline, and looking at her brother she saw much the same expression on his face. Good heavens, it seems to be a day for confessions all around. Swiftwind nuzzled her hand briefly - She-Ra was stunned by this after the "reins" comment.

"I will manage our journey, but you may hold my mane if you wish, Teela," he said, sounding amicable enough. He gave the captain another nuzzle, whuffling her hair for a moment, and She-Ra's eyes widened.

_Swiftie's always friendly, but this? What does he know that I don't?_ The champion watched in silence as Teela carefully mounted her horse. Once she was securely in place, Swiftwind walked over to She-Ra, and rubbed her arm with his muzzle.

"Be careful, She-Ra," he said. "I will get them safely to the palace, and then I will fly back to find you."

"Don't worry, old friend. I'll be fine." Then, laughing, she added, "Skeletor's the one you should worry about. He's going to be very sorry he ever left Snake Mountain."

Adam's eyes widened to alarming proportions as the color drained rapidly from his face. "She-Ra, please, don't do anything foolish."

The princess blinked, then glowered up at her brother. "Foolish?" she repeated. "If I didn't know better, your highness, I'd think you didn't trust me."

"Don't make jokes!" he cried, clutching Castaspella tightly in his arms. "I couldn't stand it if you were hurt."

"He's right," Teela said, surprising both of them with her interjection. "You should wait until you can take He-Man with you to go visit Skeletor."

Adam's eyes flashed with barely suppressed ire. "Yes!" he said firmly. "You should!"

His eyes pleaded with her, and She-Ra felt her determination wavering. With Adam's return to life, his sister's determination to personally kill the Lord of Snake Mountain had died a quiet death. But her desire to harm him was not so easily exorcised. At that moment, more than anything else in the world, She-Ra wanted to go find Skeletor and pummel him within a hair's breadth of his life. _He-Man confronts him alone every other day, for pity's sake. Why should I be any different? Adam is ridiculously overprotective, and I - _

"She-Ra, please!" Adam begged, his entire body rigid with tension. "Please? For me?"

Letting out a long, exasperated sigh, the princess placed a comforting hand on her brother's knee. "I promise not to go alone." Adam's eyes held hers for a moment. Her gaze did not waver from his, and he gradually relaxed.

"Thank you," he said. And in his eyes, She-Ra read what he could not say aloud. "I love you."

She-Ra smiled up at him, hoping devoutly that he would not figure out that taking Swiftwind with her would mean that she wasn't going alone. _As soon as he gets back from delivering them to the palace, we are going to pay a quick visit to old bonehead. There's a lot I want to say to him. Oh yes, quite a lot._

* * *

As the wind whipped past them, Teela did her best to sort out her jumbled thoughts and emotions. Adam had almost died. _No, be honest,_ she chastened herself. _He did die. My charge died... my friend died._ That he had been miraculously saved from death, dragged back by the unreserved love and devotion of two extraordinary women did not alter the fact that Teela's incompetence had gotten him killed. If it weren't for Castaspella and She-Ra, Adam would be gone.

Sitting behind him on Swiftwind, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, it was hard for Teela to believe that all that warm and vibrant life had been a hair's breadth from extinction. The force of his breathing moved her arms, and Teela burrowed her face against his back, drinking in the living scent of him. _How could I have been so blind? Why did it take me so long to see how I feel? Why did I wait until there was another woman in his arms? Why?_

For what felt like an eternity of pain, Teela wallowed in her own misery. She was plagued by random, dream-like images of the man to whom she now clung. The happy times they'd shared, the hugs, the smiles... the tears. It all played out behind her clenched eyelids, as if she were the one who was dying and her life was flashing by her. Unbidden, tears sprung once more to her eyes, and the captain let them come. If anyone saw, she could blame it on the wind of their passage. No one need ever suspect the truth. No one need ever know...

_That I love him._

Her hands spasmed, clutching at his shirt, and she felt him flinch. Of course, he couldn't take steps to remove her grip on him as long as he held Castaspella in his arms. She thought he tried to speak, but she couldn't hear him over the sound of the wind and her own sobs. But she could not stop crying, could not even make the attempt when there was so much that was worthy of tears. _I've lost him in every sense of the word. Oh, Ancients, why was I such a fool?_

Teela saw now that it was she, and not Adam, who has systematically beaten down their friendship, driving it into the ground, driving him away. And in destroying that fragile bond, she'd surely eliminated any hope that the prince might love her as she now loved him. _How could he possibly? How could he ever return my feelings when I've been so unutterably vile?_

Worse still, she'd hurt him dreadfully. Not one large hurt. Not one horrible act for which she could offer profuse apologizes, plead temporary insanity and move on. No, she'd wounded him in thousands of small ways over the course of years, chipping away at his pride, breaking off small bits of self-respect and grinding them under her heel. _If he acts the buffoon, is it anyone's fault more than mine? Father's said it for years, if you tell a man often enough that he's a hero, he'll do his best to live up to your expectations. Tell him that he's worthless... and eventually he'll stop trying to be anything else. I did this to him. I made him this way because I couldn't see past He-Man's shadow. But no one can live up to He-Man's example! I would never have demanded so much of an ordinary soldier. Why did I always ask for more than Adam could possibly give?_

_I made Adam a fool, and then I mocked him for one._ Teela's arms tightened still further around the prince's torso, and she felt more than heard him grunt in response. From the way his muscles were shifting under her hands, he must be trying to peer over his shoulder at her, but the captain could not bring herself to look up and meet his no doubt worried gaze. _I've done so many unforgivable things._

After a time, when her tears had nearly dried and her thoughts had grown as still as deep waters, Teela opened her eyes and gazed at the land zipping by beneath them. They must be nearly at the palace. Were it possible, she would have delayed their arrival, for she was not looking forward to the conference she must now hold with the King of Eternia. Randor would not be pleased to learn of his son's death nor of his guest's incapacity. No. All in all, the king would be quite cross with his captain of the guard, and Teela could not find it in her heart to blame him. She had been in charge of the security for this outing, and she had failed dismally. No, there was only one thing she could do to atone for her crimes.

_I'll have to resign my post,_ she thought wearily. _I can't continue on as Captain of the Guard nor as Bodyguard to the Heir. I'll have to leave..._ She squeezed her eyes tightly shut again, fighting back tears. Not now. Don't let me cry now, she begged whoever might be listening. Not when I have to face Randor.

It was no use hoping that the king would be sympathetic. Even if he refused her resignation, Teela knew that she would have to leave. Her actions that day aside, how could she be an effective bodyguard to the prince feeling as she did? Her love for Adam would impair her reasoning and hamper her judgment. _No. I have to go. There's no other option. If I stay, I'm endangering him by my very presence. If I leave...he'll be safer without me._ Though it would break her heart to go, Teela knew in her bones that it was the right thing to do. _He'll be better off without me. Safer. Happier. And I'll be...alone._

* * *

Adam directed Swiftwind to set down outside the palace infirmary. Teela immediately slipped her arms from around his waist, holding her hands momentarily on his hips as she dropped to the ground. Her light touch engendered a fluttering tickle in his stomach, and, gulping, the prince did his best to ignore the other, all-too-welcome, sensations her slithering touch induced. Their landing must have caught the attention of the medical staff because a surgeon and two apprentices came running up the moment that the winged-horse stopped moving. They fired off questions about Castaspella and Adam did his best to answer them with occasional help from Teela. He then allowed them, however reluctantly, to take the unconscious wizardess from his arms, leaving him with a strangely hollow feeling inside.

_Snap out of it, Adam. She'll be fine. She-Ra said she'd be fine._ As soon as the Castaspella was out of sight, Teela turned and walked away without so much as a goodbye. Taking a deep breath, the prince slid off of Swiftwind's back. He stood there, gently scratching the horse's neck while he tried to put him jumbled feelings in order. It was hard to accept that the events of the morning had really happened. He'd been dead, but the state had been atypically transitory. Stranger still, Skeletor had killed Prince Adam... not He-Man. _Why was he targeting the prince, I wonder. Why the sudden interest in Adam as something other than a lure for his nemesis?_

"Well, Swiftwind, I thank you for the ride and your timely assistance this morning," the prince said, patting the horse on the neck. "If you and She-Ra hadn't come when you did, I wouldn't be standing here right now."

Swiftwind whickered and turned his head to rub the prince on the shoulder. "That would have been a grave loss to both our worlds," the mount said. "I must go."

Adam nodded, stepping back to give the winged-horse room to take flight. "I know," he said. "Take care of She-Ra for me, Swiftie. Don't let her do anything foolish."

The horse tossed his head and whinnied. It sounded suspiciously like human laughter. "She-Ra is no more likely to do something foolish than you are, Prince of Eternia." With that, Swiftwind took to the sky, his great, rainbow wings beating the air. "Farewell."

Adam stood and watched until the horse disappeared from view. Then, he turned and walked determinedly into the infirmary. _I must check on Castaspella. I owe her so much._

Hours later, the prince was sitting by the wizardess' bed holding a solitary vigil. One of the apprentices had long since fetched a book for him, but Adam stared at the pages without really seeing them. His mind was filled with thoughts of the women in his life. Teela... but that train of thought was too raw and painful to pursue. Frequently, he found his mind straying to his sister, wondering where she was and if she was all right. More often still, he found his eyes wandering back to the Etherian's queen's face. The surgeon has assured him that Castaspella was merely exhausted and would be fine after she'd slept for a few hours.

But Adam couldn't help but worry. His mind whirled in circles, coming back again and again to the wizardess, her incredible courage and deep affection for him. She could have died. If that spell had gone wrong, she could easily have died. Why would she take such an unbelievable risk unless... _she truly loves me. And how can I possibly repay her sacrifice unless I love her in return._ The prince rubbed his temples wearily, then dropped his hands into his lap as his eyes once more came to rest on the Etherian queen's face. _Maybe it's time I let the past go. I'm hurting more than myself by clinging to a love that will never be reciprocated._

With a soft sigh, Castaspella shifted in her sleep, turning onto her side, still facing the prince. As she moved, the blankets fell to her waist, exposing the infirmary gown in which the surgeon had dressed her. Adam hastily rearranged the covers, tucking them up around her shoulder before tenderly brushing her hair out of her face. His hand lingered on her face, caressing the silky smooth skin of her cheek. _Could she really be the one? he wondered. Could Castaspella be the mother of my children, the one that the Sorceress spoke of? I know she loves me... and I want to love her. If only I knew how to make myself return her feelings._ The prince pulled his hand away, but a single roan curl remained twined around his fingers. He carefully untangled it, so as not to wake the wizardess, then sat back in his chair, lost in thought.

Gradually, the stillness of the room - in which Castaspella's even, rhythmic breathing was the only sound - had the prince dozing lightly in his chair. For a while he simply floated along, feeling nothing and thinking less. Then, slowly, his slumber changed. Kaleidoscopic images of the day darted through his dreams, finally settling on the battle with the Lord of Snake Mountain. He felt a ghostly echo of the pain that had consumed him when Skeletor's blast struck him. Then he saw once more the overly friendly face of his father, beckoning him onward, literally hustling him toward death's door. The bogus Randor smiled as he tugged at Adam's hand, the prince desperately trying to pull away. And through it all the phoney king continued to smile, a sickening sweet grin. The smile grew wider and wider until it split the simulacrum's face in twain revealing row upon row of glistening, dagger pointed teeth.

Adam screamed and jerked himself awake. A dream... It was just a dream. Just a dream. He shook his head briskly, determined to clear away the remnants of the ghostly terror. _What was that creature? And what did it want with me?_

Castaspella was still slumbering, and, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Adam leaned close to check on her. The wizardess was breathing evenly, and her skin no longer possessed the deathly pallor that had so alarmed him immediately following her collapse. She no longer looked like it was she and not he who had died. Rather, she seemed simply to be napping peacefully after a strenuous day of physical exertion.

His mind wandered as his gaze lingered on her soft, rosy lips, and Adam found himself recalling that day in the clearing when Castaspella had first kissed him. What an eye opener that was. Talk about physical exertion. If that had gone any farther... Slapping a hand to his forehead, the prince shook his head. _Stop it Adam! Keep your hormones in check! You're not some rutting adolescent, for pity sake! The woman almost died to save you and here you are thinking about her -_

The prince abruptly closed down that train of thought, leaping to his feet and turning toward the door. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he exited the Etherian queen's sickroom only to find himself grabbed and all but pulled off his feet the instant he cleared the doorway. "Adam!" the king of Eternia cried, pulling his son into an appallingly tight embrace. "Thank the Elders you're safe!"

"Well, I won't be much longer if you keep smothering me," he protested, but his father did not appear to hear him.

"Don't crack jokes, Adam!" his mother chastised as she threw her arms around them both. "When Teela told us what happened..." She broke off, tears trailing down her cheeks.

Adam's eyes widened and he fought to maintain his balance while two sets of arms pulled at him. "Told you? Told you what? Just how much did she tell you?" he asked, flustered to have his morning adventures brought to the attention of his parents.

"Adam! What do you think she told us?" Randor barked, stepping back slightly and holding his son at arm's length. The king's face was a study in shock, his eyes wide and glassy, almost as if he wasn't really seeing his son at all. "By the Ancients! When I think what - "

"Not here, Randor," Marlena urged, taking her husband by the arm and pulling him toward a vacant room. "We don't want everyone to hear about - "

"Yes, yes, you're quite right, my dear, as always." The king took his queen by the hand and together they walked quickly into an empty patient room. It was only then that Adam noticed the figure who'd been lurking behind them, waiting for her turn to speak to him.

"Adora!" he shouted, then flushing, he hastily lowered his voice. "Sis, I thought you were... I mean, aren't you supposed to be..." Uncertain how to ask his question without saying things that absolutely couldn't be discussed in public, the prince opened his hands in a questioning manner, pleading for more information.

Grimacing, the princess said only, "I'll explain later," before taking his arm and marching him into the room where their parents were waiting for them. What followed was loud, a touch frenzied and decidedly wet as both his parents shed copious amounts of tears. Even Adora became teary eyed at several points and by the end of it, Adam was ready to strangle them all from sheer soggy frustration.

The only good to come out if the entire encounter, as far as the prince was concerned, was that he finally had a chance to sit his entire family down and talk to them seriously about the future... his future... Castaspella's future... and the very real possibility that their two destinies might become permanently intertwined.

When he was done speaking, his announcement was greeted by a stunned silence from all parties. Even Adora, who knew how seriously Adam was taking his relationship with the Etherian queen, looked dumbfounded. She rallied quickly, however. "Well," she said, clearing her throat self-consciously, "if that's how you really feel, then we'll find a way to make it work. Whatever it takes."

Adam smiled gratefully at her. "Thanks, Sis. I knew you'd understand."

Adora laughed and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. "Oh, I understand all right. The question is whether Sea - " She broke off abruptly, her eyes gone very wide. Both of their parents turned curious looks on her, and she hastened to add, "I mean, whether the other members of the Rebellion will understand if Adam and I decide to switch places."

Marlena smiled knowingly. "Oh, I'm sure they'll understand," she drawled. "That is if they really care about you." Adora gave a small, nervous laugh and began to play with her hair in a decidedly absorbed manner.

_Well, that was a near miss,_ Adam thought in amusement. _I guess Father still doesn't know about Adora's relationship with Sea Hawk._ The prince grinned broadly. _I hope I'm here when she tells him. That should be quite entertaining._ Then, his jovial mood fading as rapidly as it had developed, Adam found himself wondering if Adora's beau really would understand if she chose to stay on Eternia while Adam went to live on Etheria with Castaspella. _Will he stand by her? He seems to love her as much as I love -_

Adam's thoughts screeched to a grinding halt as his father addressed him for the first time since the prince had explained just how serious his relationship with the Queen of Mystacore had become. His voiced sounded strangely hollow as he spoke. "I can't believe you'd really give up the throne," he murmured, staring blindly at a space a meter or so in front of his son. "I can't believe you'd abandon - "

"Randor!" Marlena cried, standing rapidly and placing herself between father and son.

Adam's jaw dropped open, every reply he'd considered falling away as he stared, dumbstruck at his father. When the king said nothing more, the prince turned to go, heading rapidly for the exit. _I can't do this. I can't stand here and listen to what a coward he thinks I am, yet again. I just can't._ But Adora was in his path and their mother joined her.

"That's it!" Marlena snapped. "You two are going to stay in here and talk this out! I don't have time to coddle either of your egos. I need to go check on Castaspella, and then I need to reassure Teela for the tenth time that we don't blame her for you getting your fool self killed!" With that, the Queen of Eternia turned and marched from the room, her daughter right behind her. As they left, Adam heard the distinct sound of a bolt being shot home in a lock.

Taken aback by this display of motherly prerogative, Adam stood and stared at the closed door for several seconds. Then, sighing, he turned around to face his father, the king. "All right," he said, resigned to the lecture he knew was coming. "Let me have it."

"Let you have what?" Randor asked, looking as bewildered as his son by this sudden change in the course of events. "What do you mean?" His eyes focused on Adam's face. "And why were you leaving, just now? I thought you wanted to talk about this?"

The prince stiffened. "I really don't know what more there is to say," he said peevishly. "Your opinion of my wishes is quite clear... as is your opinion of me."

The king blinked. "What?" he asked, brows knitting as he walked over to stand directly before his son and heir. "What do you mean my opinion of you?"

Adam snorted. "Come on, Father. Let's not dance around the issue for once. You've always thought I'd be a terrible king. Frankly, I'd think you'd be glad to be rid of me."

"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard!" Randor boomed, grabbing his son by the arms when he started to turn away again. "How could you think I'd want this?"

Shrugging, the prince said, "It only makes sense. After all, if I marry Castaspella, then I'll have to go Mystacore with her. And if I do that, then I'll have to renounce my claim to the Eternian throne, and Adora inherits the monarchy." His throat feeling suddenly tight, Adam swallowed several times before continuing. "Isn't that what you've wanted all along?"

For several long seconds, his father said nothing. Then - "It most certainly is NOT!" Adam flinched from the sheer volume of the denial, then gazed at the king in puzzled astonishment.

"But I thought - "

But Randor was not yet finished. "You listen to me, my boy. If marrying Castaspella and going to live with her in Mystacore is what will make you happy, truly happy as I have been with your mother, then that is what I want you to do."

"But you said - "

"Now, just because I want you to be happy, and just because I am willing to support you in whatever endeavor you choose provided that it will bring you the kind of joy that I myself have been privileged to know, that doesn't mean I have to be happy about the notion of someone else inheriting the throne of Eternia." Randor scowled at him, looking as disgusted and fed up as his son had ever seen him look. "Where you get these notions of yours, I can't imagine."

"But Father," Adam protested, now utterly perplexed, "you've always complained about what a lazy lack-wit I am. I would think that having Adora inherit would thrill you."

The king snorted. "I have never called you a lack-wit, or even a half-wit for that matter. I know I've been hard on you, son, but that was only because I wanted you to be ready for the responsibilities that I knew would one day be thrust upon you." Sighing, Randor dropped his hands from Adam's arms and took a seat on a chair by the bed. Following after him, curious to know where this strange conversation was leading, the prince took a seat on the bed directly across from the king. He waited patiently, and after a few minutes of staring out the window, his father continued.

"Son, you've already had many more years to prepare for the rigors of the throne than I ever had. You've been fortunate, as have I, but no amount of schooling, no amount of training, no amount of grooming can ever really prepare someone to be a king. It's a hard, ugly transition, usually made at time when the recipient has already been emotionally devastated by the loss of a beloved parent. It is, in a word, wretched." At this, his father sighed and began to rub his temples.

"I never really thought about how hard it must have been for you, when Grandfather disappeared," Adam murmured, taken aback by the sudden and alarming realization that his father - his perfect and regal father - had once been an adolescent with all the fears, self-doubts and angst that entailed. _Who knew? Him... insecure._ The very idea shook Adam's world.

Randor nodded tiredly. "Very hard," he agreed. "I was lucky to get him back, even if he did leave me stuck with this tinsel toy on my head. But that's all really beside the point."

"Then what is the point?" Adam asked.

The king laughed. "You know, after spouting off like that, I'm not entirely certain." The prince gave a short laugh of his own, and, grinning, Randor continued. "I guess, I'm just trying to explain why I've been so hard on you over the years. I know you'll make a fine king one day, son. Whether you are king of Eternia or of Mystacore won't matter in that sense. You'll do your best for the people you serve. I just - " His father stopped and cleared his throat rather noisily. "I guess it's just kind of a shock for me to think of someone else sitting on the throne. I know that, if the need arises, Adora will make an excellent queen. But the truth is, she wasn't raised to it as you were. Frankly, well, I just have a very difficult time accepting the idea of someone else sitting on the throne of Eternia."

Touched, and more than a little surprised by his father's painful honesty, Adam blurted out, "I thought you wanted me to marry someone like Castaspella! Do you want me to stop - "

But Randor waved him to silence. "No, no, son. I don't want you to stop anything. If you love Castaspella, then I suppose I can adjust to the idea of someone else ruling over Eternia when I'm gone. It is all in the family, after all." The king paused and eyed the prince with an unnerving degree of scrutiny. "You do love her, don't you? You weren't just pursuing this relationship because you thought it would make me happy, were you?"

"I do love her," Adam defended himself. "I just don't know if, well, if it's - "

Randor grinned broadly, his eyebrows rising toward his hairline in an inquiring manner. "If it's a 'happy ever after' kind of love?"

"Father," Adam objected, his dignity offended. "This isn't a fairy tale!"

"Oh, I don't know about that," the king intoned. "After all, we have a handsome prince right here," he tweaked Adam's nose causing the prince to snort in annoyance, "and sleeping beauty is in the room across the hall."

Glowering at him while he sullenly crossed his arms over his chest, Adam muttered, "Mother should never have told you all those Earth fairy tales. You're a hopeless romantic."

"Nonsense, my boy. I'm a hopeful romantic. It's quite different, you know."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As the Queen of Mystacore slowly opened her eyes, a familiar face swam into view through the haze of sleep. Unfortunately, it was the wrong face. "How are you feeling?" Teela asked quietly, her voice hardly louder than a whisper. "The surgeon said you might have a headache. Do you?" Castaspella nodded, even that slight movement setting off hammer falls of pain behind her eyes. She grimaced, and the captain silently handed her a glass of water and two pills. "Take these." The wizardess sat up just far enough to down the medication, then sank back onto the pillow, her eyelids feeling unaccountably heavy.

"Thanks," she muttfered, fighting to keep her eyes open as the other woman swayed in and out of view. It was difficult to make out much, but the Etherian thought it must be nighttime, for the room beyond the captain was deep in shadow, lit only by small pools of light along the base of the walls.

"You're welcome," Teela replied, her voice still very soft. "Actually, I wanted to thank you for... "

Castaspella tried to keep track of what the other woman was saying, but it was impossible. Her eyes closed and in less time than it took for the Eternian captain to say thank you, the Etherian queen was fast asleep.

* * *

Adora looked up from reading when something blocked her light, and was surprised to see her brother standing over her, a bemused expression on his face. "Well, that was quick," she said, setting the book aside. "I expected the two of you to be holed up for at least a couple of hours."

He gave her a lopsided grin. "It's been three hours, Sis."

Blinking, the princess looked up at the chronometer on the wall of the queen's solar. _Where did the time go?_ she wondered. _Who would have thought reading political history could be so engrossing?_ Giving the prince an identical, lop-sided smile, she patted a spot on the sofa next to her. "Have a seat, oh brother mine."

Adam stretched out beside her, arms crossed behind his head while he contemplated his crossed, booted feet. He let out a long, deep sigh, and Adora's eyes widened at the sheer weariness he projected. "Tired," he mumbled, as his eyes closed. One of his feet was swinging slightly, however, so she knew he wasn't asleep yet.

"How did things go with Father?" When he didn't immediately reply, she reached over and poked him in the ribs. "Adam?

"Hmmm?"

"How did things go with Father?"

He shrugged, not opening his eyes. "It was okay."

_Okay? It was okay?_ The princess scowled at her brother, but, eyes still closed, he neither saw nor reacted to her annoyance. Sitting up straight, she poked him in the ribs again... hard.

"Hey!" Adam yelled, bolting upright. "What's the idea?"

"Adam, quit being such a man and tell me what happened. Details. I want details." That said, she crossed her arms over her chest and waited. The prince blinked at her, yawned, and dropped back onto the sofa cushions.

"We talked," he said with a yawn. "We haven't really done that in a long time, so I guess we'd both saved up a lot to say."

"And?" she prompted.

"And everything's fine," Adam said, watching her out of the corner of his eyes. "Don't poke me again."

"Adam!" she snapped, stomping one of her feet on the floor.

"Seriously," he insisted. "We talked. We're fine. There's nothing more to tell. Do you want a blow by blow description of the conversation?" He turned his head toward her on the cushion and eyed her tiredly. "You and Mother were right. We needed to have a long talk and we did. But on top of everything else that happened today, it was pretty emotionally draining. I am dead tired, and - "

The prince's words broke off abruptly as his sister made a small squeaking sound and covered her face with her hands. "Adora! What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, as he pulled her quickly into his arms. The princess leaned into her brother's embrace, inexpressibly thankful to be able to hug him one more time. It seemed ridiculous to be crying over what was no doubt a simple slip of the tongue, but it hadn't even been a day yet. Just a few short hours since he'd been...

"Sis, are you all right? Did I say something to upset you?"

"Adam, I love you with all my heart, but if you make one more joke that involves the words death, dead, or dying, I swear I will strangle you myself." She squeezed him tightly, immensely satisfied by the gust of air she knocked from his lungs, and then pulled away. The baffled look he gave her as she impatiently brushed away the tears from her eyes was almost funny. Almost.

"What?" he asked. "What do you - " realization dawned - "Oh. Oh! Oh, Sis, I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I never should have used that word." He stopped and cleared his throat noisily. "What I should have said is that... ummm... I'm real tired. Like, heavy sleep, Cringer's breath couldn't wake me up kind of tired. So please don't ask me to rehash the whole conversation with Father. Okay?"

Adora sighed. "I suppose that's a reasonable request."

"Of course it is," he agreed. Reaching out and wiping away the last bit of moisture from her cheek. "So, now it's your turn. Tell me what happened with skull face. I've been dying- I mean, waiting to ask you how it is that you got back so fast. Obviously you weren't hurt..." As his words trailed off, his eyes sought hers with a beseeching look, begging for reassurance.

"I'm fine," the princess muttered disgustedly. "Unfortunately, so is bonehead."

Adam's brows knit. "I don't understand. What's wrong?"

Rolling her eyes, Adora sighed gustily. "Skeletor must have been expected a pretty serious reprisal for his attack on you, because when I got there, Snake Mountain was emptier than the stockade the day after a universal amnesty."

"Completely empty?" Adam asked, apparently as shocked as she'd been.

"Not a minion in sight. I was extremely disappointed," she drawled. "But, from the way you were talking earlier, it sounds like I'm likely to have more opportunities to tangle with him in the future."

The prince flushed and looked away. "So how did you manage to get away from Mother and Father?" he asked, blatantly changing the subject. "I thought you were supposed to be out riding with them."

His sister groaned and flopped back on the sofa beside him. "I was. I never made it past the stables. I had to tell them that Spirit got spooked by a snake just outside the stable pastures, ran off, stumbled into a ditch and then threw a shoe." She groaned again. "To make it look real I had to pry one of his shoes loose with my dagger, and then lead him, hobbling artistically, back to the stables."

When the prince began to chuckle, she glared ferociously at him. "It's not funny, Adam!" she protested. "Between the insults and the injuries, Spirit may never forgive me, and Father is convinced that I'm not a skilled equestrian. ME! Unskilled on a horse? Blah."

"Sorry, Sis," he mumbled abashedly. "I know how much you were looking forward to having a free day with them, and - "

"And you have quite handily changed the subject," she interjected. "Now, what is going on with you and Castaspella?"

"Nothing is definite yet," he murmured as he idly played with the edge of one of the cushions. "I haven't even agreed to go back to Etheria for that state visit she keeps asking me about."

Adora's eyes widened as she stared at her brother's profile. _He hasn't answered her yet! I didn't know she'd asked him!_ Taking a long, slow breath, she said, "Castaspella has asked you to go back to Etheria with her? Did I understand you correctly?"

"Yes, she has. She's returning to Mystacore the day after the mid-summer festival, and I'm supposed to let her know by then whether or not I'll be coming with her."

"Permanently?" Adora yelped, stunned by how quickly Adam's relationship with the wizardess was progressing.

"No, not permanently," he hurriedly replied. "Just... an extended visit. You know, to find out if we do want to try something more... something more... "

"Permanent," she repeated, her mind whirling. _It's happening. It's really happening._

* * *

The days leading up to the festival passed quickly - far too quickly for Teela's peace of mind - and before she quite knew what had happened, she was laying out her clothing for the ball, the culmination of all the holiday festivities. She took special care with the dress. She'd purchased it just a few days earlier for this specific event, and she wanted it to be perfect. For this, her last palace ball, she would dress as the ladies of the court did for such gatherings - she would dress to catch the eye of a prince.

Always before, she'd worn her armor, attending the dances and fetes as a guard rather than a guest. But not tonight. For once, Teela intended to dance the night away, to enjoy the music and the company. After all, she'd be leaving Eternos soon, so this was her last chance to live life as the courtier she'd always struggled not be. _If I'd done this sooner, then maybe..._ She shook her head. _No. No point in dwelling on it. I've lost him, and there's nothing I can do to change that now._

Teela had no illusions about the ball or its likely climax. Adam was as beyond her reach as the stars. _As beautiful and full of life as a star, she thought with a sigh._ He'd spent all his time of late with the Queen of Mystacore, and it didn't take an oracle to see that there were wedding bells in the air. The prince would marry his Etherian wizardess... that was abundantly clear. The captain was more than half expecting an announcement to that effect to be made that very evening. _So I only have a few hours left to spend with him. A few precious hours before the real world reasserts itself._

With another heartfelt sigh, Teela adjusted the scarves that would hang from the shoulders of the dress. If it worked the way the seamstress had promised, they would billow out like a silken cape every time she spun around. A tiny smile curved her lips, and she steadfastly ignored the few lonely tears that spilled down her face. _Adam will love this dress. He always did like to be surrounded by beautiful things._ Taking a deep, steadying breath, she quickly brushed away her tears, stripped out of her robe and slipped into the shimmering golden ball gown.

The bodice was tight enough so that the sleeveless straps of the dress were more for show than for actual support, but the calf-length skirt was incredibly full, and it billowed around her legs as she twirled before her mirror. As promised, the scarves wafted along the air behind her. All in all, if any dress was worth half her savings, this one was. _I knew that cloth of gold would be expensive, but I had no idea just how expensive it would be. Still, I can't complain. Even if it wasn't a last minute rush job, this dress would be amazing._

Considering the efforts that had gone into creating the garment itself, Teela felt a certain obligation not to disgrace the seamstress by any unladylike displays. So she'd done the heretofore unthinkable and actually curled her brilliant red hair. _And thanks to that trick Aunt Marlena showed me, it will stay curled until morning._ Now, it hung in fiery ringlets about her face and shoulders, glinting in the sunlight from the open window. With a flash of red gold, she spun in place, quickly testing the traction of her new slippers. They were a bit slick, but she figured she could get through the ball without disgracing herself.

She added a few tasteful pieces of jewelry, mostly gifts from her father, and turned back to the mirror one last time to study the overall effect. The smattering of freckles on her shoulders was a bit out of place for a pampered courtier, she supposed, but otherwise she looked the part right down to her satin dancing shoes. _I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be,_ she thought, satisfied with the image she saw reflected back at her. _I hope Prince Adam is in the mood to dance tonight, because I don't intend to sit one out._

Wrapping a matching shawl around her shoulder and gathering her courage about her as well, Teela strode from her room and into the palace, prepared to meet the rest of the revelers.

* * *

"Calm down, Castaspella. Just calm down," the wizardess ordered herself as she studied her reflection in the suite's floor-length mirror. "This is only the single most important night of your life. No reason to be nervous or anything." Taking a slow, supposedly soothing breath, she brushed her hair impatiently back from her face.

_Up,_ she thought. _Tonight I am putting this crow's nest up and out of the way for once._ Grabbing a brush, she hastily arranged her auburn tresses in an artfully precarious-looking pile atop her head. With that dark and heavy mass out of the way, the creamy white skin of her neck and shoulders was shown to best advantage, contrasting nicely with the dark, wine red of her gown. The dress was low-cut, but not daringly so, and only a hint of equally creamy cleavage showed. Castaspella grinned mischievously at herself in the mirror. Not that Adam would ever be so crass as to stare at a woman's cleavage. _Still, if he looks down at my face while we're dancing, he's bound to enjoy the view._

Still, the overall impression presented by her garb was once of demure elegance. With its full, flowing sleeves, high waist and floor-length skirt, the dress was proper enough for a visiting queen... or the suitor to a prince. Castaspella's heart began to pound, drumlike, as if the dancing had already begun, and the Etherian quickly sat down.

"A fine state you've gotten yourself into," she muttered disgustedly, burying her face in her hands. "Quit acting like some adolescent going to her first ball. You've been to scores and scores of these things. There's no reason to be a bundle of nerves now, for the Ancients' sake. This is just one more ball. Just one more."

_Never mind that this is my last chance to court Adam before I leave tomorrow. Never mind that my entire life hinges on whether he decides to come to Mystacore with me or not. Never mind that he still hasn't given me his answer. Never mind that I love him so desperately that my very bones ache when we're apart. Oh, Adam... _

Leaping to her feet, Castaspella began to pace frenetically. For several minutes she marched back and forth, wringing her hands and kicking her skirts furiously out of her way. "If he'd only let her go! If she wasn't constantly there, taunting him and –"

The wizardess' tirade ceased abruptly as someone knocked on the door to her suite. What now? She hurried into the sitting room and yanked the door open without even bothering to ask the identity of the caller. "Yes?" she said, sounding more harried than she cared to. "What do you –" Eyes wide, she yelped, "Adam! Oh... I... oh..." Flushing nearly as dark as her dress, the queen of Mystacore stared, open-mouthed, at the Crown Prince of Eternia. _Ancients and Elders, he's beautiful._

Unbidden, her eyes traveled up and down the prince's frame, taking in every luscious detail. He was garbed in a snowy white silk shirt over which he wore a tunic, breeches and boots of the richest cobalt blue. The tight-fitting pants set off his legs in stunning fashion and the full sleeves of the tunic only enhanced his already broad shoulders. The garments had been embroidered with shining silver thread, and the design appeared to involve interlocking swords and scepters, though Castaspella would have sworn that the trim on the lower edge of his tunic included of what looked to be space ships and some kind of cat. _Tigers,_ she realized. _They're Eternian tigers._

"May I come in?" he asked.

Still stunned beyond the capacity for speech, Castaspella looked up into his face, only then noticing the gleaming circlet of interwoven silver and gold that rested upon his brow. His blue eyes were lustrous, shining with life and merriment, and the wizardess found her breath quite taken away by his smile.

"Castaspella?" he said, meeting her gaze with an amused grin. "May I come in, or is this a bad time?" When she said nothing, still openly gawking at him, the prince pulled a small package from behind his back. "I wanted to give you your mid-summer present before the festivities start. I'm bound to be monopolized by the older ladies of the court for a while, but... you're not hearing a word I'm saying." His brows knit, causing the circlet to shift disarmingly lower on one side. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes!" she blurted, regaining possession of at least some of her senses. "Yes, everything is fine, your highness. I'm just surprised to see you. I didn't expect to have the opportunity to enjoy your company until the ball." Stepping aside, she gestured him through the door. "Please, do come in."

Adam walked into the suite, but he did not take a chair. Instead, he stopped roughly in the center of the sitting room and turned to face her. "Your Majesty, I wish you a joyous Mid-Summer Day," he said, once more proffering the goblet-sized package he'd brought with him.

Heart beating wildly, Castaspella stepped forward and took it. "I thank you, your highness, and I wish a joyous Mid-Summer Day to you as well." She curtsied, her knees all but touching the ground, then rose to her full height only to find him grinning gleefully at her.

"Well, are you going to open it, or is it considered improper on Etheria to open gifts in front of the giver?"

Castaspella shook her head adamantly and began pulling haphazardly at the ribbons that sealed the box. Her inexplicably nerveless fingers made a hash of it, and she shot a pleading look at the prince. Sighing and shaking his head in tolerant amusement, Adam reached over and deftly undid the bindings. "Thank you," she said, dry-mouthed as she lifted the lid from the box and reached inside. She pulled out a small velvet pouch of a dark purple shade. It was surprisingly heavy, and it jangled slightly as she tipped it, spilling the contents into her trembling hands.

The necklace was one she'd admired while shopping with Adam on that memorable day when she'd kissed him the forest and confessed her love. The intricately enameled pendant, which hung from a heavy golden chain, depicted a red rose just coming into full bloom. Though not terribly expensive, it was exquisitely crafted. _And more important still, he remembered that I liked it. I know for a fact that he didn't buy it on that trip, so he must have remembered and gone back for it later. Oh, my dear, sweet Adam._

He bounced slightly on his heels, clearly waiting for some kind of response, and Castaspella smiled shyly up at him. "It's beautiful," she said. "Would you help me put it on?"

"Of course, your majesty. I'm happy to be of service." So saying, he quickly took the necklace from her hand, lifted it over her head and nimbly clasped it in place. Castaspella shivered as his fingers brushed tantalizingly against the bare skin of her neck, and the wizardess thought she felt an answering tremble in his body as well. Taking a deep, slow breath she inhaled his scent, a heady brew of soap and pure male, unsullied by artificial fragrances.

As he stepped back, his eyes strangely unreadable for the first time since entering the room, she quietly cleared her throat. "Thank you," she murmured again. "It's beautiful."

"You're beautiful," he whispered back. Castaspella's eyes widened in shock as he reached up and cupped her chin in one strong hand. The kiss that followed was hardly adventurous, but it was a marvelous beginning, a promise of better things to come.

* * *

Adora grimaced as she stared at herself in the mirror. The seamstress had delivered her ball gown days ago, but the princess hadn't been able to bring herself to try it on since the final fitting she'd endured for two horrendously boring hours. At that time, the dress had still consisted largely of the light muslin that tailors used to create their precisely fitted patterns for the final garment. Now, wearing the actual gown, Adora was appalled by how heavy it was. The fabric was a thick, red silk brocade, and it did not like to bend in the places that women normally bent. Instead, it had a habit of bunching up and scratching the princess when she turned too fast or tried to sit down.

_This is what I get for telling the seamstress to make me something appropriate and not bothering to involve myself in the details. Ick._ Adora supposed the dress was pretty enough for a ball, but for someone used to the freedom of soft, pliable, form-fitting garments, it felt impossibly restrictive and bulky. Muffling, she thought as she scowled at the full, heavy skirts and trailing sleeves. _It's like I'm being smothered by my own clothing. I've worn armor that weighed less than this. What was I thinking? And how am I supposed to do my hair when I can't even lift my arms over my head?_

Adora was still scowling and grumbling when her wallow in dissatisfaction was interrupted by a peremptory knock. Certain that she was going to look like a witch-haired courtier in overly formal dress, she stomped to her door, skirts hitched up to her knees, and yanked it open. "What?" she barked, uncaring who the caller might be.

"Oh dear," the queen of Eternia sighed, eyeing her up and down. "It's worse than I thought." The princess gaped at her, speechless, until the queen slipped past her and into the room. "Close the door, sweetheart. I don't think everyone in the palace needs to know what we're doing."

Still too nonplussed for words, Adora did as she was bidden, then turned back to face her mother. "What? What are we doing? Isn't this the right kind of dress?" she asked, sounding alarmingly shrill and pathetic to her own ears.

Marlena smiled sympathetically as she shifted a large, unmarked box in her arms. "Let's continue this in a more appropriate setting," she suggested. Adora followed her perplexing parent in the suite's dressing chamber. Her mother set the box down on a be-ruffled divan, then turned and eyed her daughter once more.

"Well?" Adora asked. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with this hideous thing or not?"

Marlena laughed, and hurried over to give her daughter a tentative hug. Despite the gentleness of the queen's embrace, the princess flinched when hard-edged seams dug into her skin. Pulling back, her mother said, "There is absolutely nothing wrong with that 'hideous thing' provided that you don't mind being dreadfully uncomfortable for the duration of a rather long evening." Chewing delicately on her lower lip for a moment, the queen then added, "I would have helped you choose something more suitable, but you were so determined to do everything on your own... so independent and grown up."

"I am a grown-up," Adora said pitifully. Then, giving her mother a mournful look, she cried, "What am I going to do now? I can't dance in this thing!"

"Well, I know you said you didn't want me to interfere, but..."

"Interfere! Please, interfere!" the princess begged. "I sorry I ever said I could do this on my own. I'd rather face an entire Horde squadron than one couturier. I wasn't raised to this like Adam. I don't even know what they're talking about half the time. Help me. Please?"

Marlena smiled, clearly basking in the smug satisfaction of a parent who has heard the magical words from their adult child, help me. "Of course I'll help, Adora. In fact, I just happen to have brought my midsummer present for you with me, and it just might –"

"A dress!" the princess exclaimed, somewhat annoyed to have had her difficulties so accurately foretold despite her urgent request for assistance. "You had another dress made for me, didn't you?" She stared wide-eyed at her mother. The queen shrugged.

"Something like that. You must remember, sweetheart, that I went through a very similar experience many years ago. I was no more raised in this society than you were." Marlena chuckled wryly, absently smoothing her own, immaculate skirts. "And astronaut training doesn't really cover how to dress sensibly for a ball."

"I... don't entirely understand what being an astronaut means, Mother," her daughter admitted. "Adam seems to think you were some kind of warrior, but Teela says you're the best pilot she's ever seen. And Father says that you arrived here with all the skills of a trained diplomat."

The queen's eyes widened, the smile lines in her face standing out sharply but in no way detracting from her beauty and charm. "Goodness. They said all that, did they?" She shook her head. "Well, we don't have time to go into it all right now, but I'll be happy to tell you all about it later. Maybe even tomorrow if either of us manages to get out of bed before sunset."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Adora hummed to herself happily as she tucked a loose pin back into her hair. Most of the guests for the Mid-Summer Festival Ball had arrived, and it was nearly time for the royal family to make its grand entrance. At the moment they were cooling their heels in a parlor adjacent to the ballroom, waiting for the majordomo to call them in and announce their presence. Though the dancing hadn't started yet, there was already music coming from the next room, and the princess hummed enthusiastically along.

"You seem cheerful," Adam said, walking up and holding out his arm for her. He was garbed in shades of blue and white that were identical to her own, confirming Adora's suspicion that her mother had been planning for her to wear her Mid-Summer present to the ball all along. The fact that the circlet her father had given her for mid-summer matched the silver trim on the flowing, silken garments was the final piece of proof, though she hardly cared any longer. _So they conspired. I'm happy. They're happy. And I can dance all night in this without once getting poked, scratched or squeezed in the wrong places._

She flashed Adam a self-satisfied smile as she placed her hand on the crook of his arm. "I am," she admitted. "Shouldn't I be? This is my first Eternian ball after all."

Her brother leaned closer and deposited a kiss on her cheek. "I guess I expected you to be a little more nervous after the fuss you made about everything else this week. You must have gone shopping at least nine different times in four days."

"It's my first Mid-Summer Festival too, and I wanted my presents to be perfect," she said haughtily. Then, somewhat less certain of herself, she said, "You do like that old journal and inkwell set, don't you?"

"I love them," he assured her with a laugh. "And Father and Mother loved their presents too. The last time I saw Orko, he was still burbling over that magical flute you found him. Man-At-Arms seemed a bit nervous though..."

"Yes, he did," she agreed, chewing anxiously on her lip. "He kept mumbling something about rats, or mice or something, and a village named Hamlin."

"Another victim of Mother's Earth fairy tales. Remind me to tell you this one some time. It's about what happens to people who don't keep their promises."

Adora's brows knit, as she considered his words. "But what does that have to do with rats?"

"It's complicated, but - "

"They're ready for us now, my dears," Randor said, walking over with Marlena on his arm. "Now remember, your Mother and I will start the dancing and when the first four measures are done, you and Adora should begin. Then everyone else will join in and - "

"And for the second dance," Adam interrupted, rolling his eyes, "you will dance with Queen Castaspella since she's the highest ranking female dignitary attending the ball. Mother will dance with Man-At-Arms, and it will be up to Adora and I to find suitable partners for ourselves. We know, Father, we know. We've been over this a hundred time this morning alone."

Randor harrumphed and smoothed down the sleeves of his tunic in a nervous fashion, but his good humor seemed largely unmarred by his son's chastisement. The queen was openly amused as she reached up and made a minute adjustment of her husband's crown. Adora could have sworn she heard her mother whisper something that sounded like, "Silly old goat," as they turned away.

"Well then," her father grumbled. "Let's take our places so they can open the doors."

Adora and Adam got quickly into position, but as was the usual way of such things - or so Adam claimed - there was some delay in the other room, and they wound up standing in position, waiting to enter.

"So, have you exchanged presents with anyone else yet?" Adora whispered, pitching her voice so as not to draw undue parental attention.

Adam nodded minutely. "Yes," he whispered back. "I gave Man-At-Arms, Orko and Cringer their presents this morning along with a lot of other people. I gave Castaspella hers just before the ball." He was looking straight ahead, but Adora didn't need to see his face to know what the blush that colored his skin had to mean.

"Did she like it?" she asked quietly. Her brother nodded curtly, seemingly unwilling to discuss the matter further. Oh, ho... Then, Adora realized which name had been left conspicuously out of Adam's list. "What about Teela?" she hissed. "Have you given her a present yet?" To her surprise, her brother's flush darkened and he began to shift his weight from one foot to the other.

"I tried to, but she wasn't there when I went by. I was afraid I might not see her tonight, so I left it on her nightstand."

"What did you - "

Before Adora could finish the question, the doors opened and the majordomo was announcing their entrance to the gathered throng. And a throng it was. She's never seen so many people together in one place when it wasn't a battlefield. Gulping, she clung tightly to her brother's arm as they followed their parents out onto the dance floor. At least Adam is a good dancer and doesn't mind when I step on his feet, she thought gratefully.

* * *

Despite her best intentions to be on time for the ball, Teela had underestimated the amount of time it would take to curl her long, thick hair, and she arrived several minutes late. As she entered the ballroom, doing her best to move at a demure if rapid pace, she saw that the royal family had already made its grand entrance. The king and queen were dancing together, talking and laughing while they moved as one in time to the music. Adam and Adora were also moving gracefully through the steps of the waltz on the far side of the room.

Adam...

"Pardon me," Teela said, squeezing by a startled major in his dress uniform.

"Captain!" he squeaked, snapping off a salute as he gaped at her. Teela nodded absently and continued past him. Making her way through the crowd to the edge of the dance floor, she watched Prince Adam whirling his sister expertly from side to side, guiding her effortlessly through the intricacies of the dance. For all her athletic skill, Adora had little experience with balls and dancing, even less than the captain herself had, and the princess looked decidedly nervous. But Adam never let her stumble, carefully turning the slightest misstep into a flourish of movement that thrilled the crowd and made Adora appear more expert than she could possibly be. As the set progressed, the princess began to look less nervous and more like she was having fun. By the time that a significant number of courtiers had joined them on the dance floor, Adora's rich laughter could be heard echoing through the room.

Teela smiled. _He's a good brother. But then, he always was._ As she watched, smiling affectionately at the prince's antics, the first dance of the evening came to an end. The royal family, who had clearly planned their moves ahead of time, immediately sought out new partners. Within seconds, the musicians had begun their second strain, and King Randor was leading Castaspella onto the dance floor. Queen Marlena and Man-At-Arms followed after them, the old friends slipping into a rhythm nearly as expert and practiced as that of the king and queen themselves.

Teela spared her father a last affectionate glance, then began to scan the crowd, trying to figure out where Adam had gotten himself to. She finally spotted him leading the Mayor of Eternos' wife, Lady Miriam out onto the dance floor while Adora danced with the happy gentlemen himself. She smothered a grin as they strolled leisurely by. Adam had slowed his pace considerable for the sake of his older partner, and there was a look of rapt attention plastered on his face. Miriam could talk for hours without ceasing, and had been known to go for days on the same topic. Teela wondered what she found fascinating this evening. _Poor Adam._

Trying not to look like she was following them, Teela meandered through the crowd, nodding and smiling at the people she knew without ever once losing sight of her prince. _I always knew Adam was handsome, but he looks utterly magnificent tonight. If only - _

"Captain Teela?"

Teela stopped and turned to face Lord Stratos of Avion. "Hello Stratos," she said, smiling shyly, suddenly uncomfortably aware of how different she must look from the warrior that the Avion was accustomed to seeing. "Happy Mid-Summer."

"And to you, Captain. May I have this dance?"

Teela felt herself blushing as her eyes widened. "I'd be delighted," she stammered, reaching out and taking Stratos' proffered arm. _Now what? I never expected to actually have to dance with anyone but Adam!_

Forcing a smile, Teela chatted with the Avion about his homeland while he led her through a graceful minuet. When that dance was finished, she found herself on the arm of another young gentleman. Then it was Ram-Man. Then Lord Carnaven. Then Baron Slytek. The evening wore on and on, and Teela lost all track of Prince Adam. She was becoming desperate, certain that she would have to resort to outright rudeness to find him, when her last partner left her by the doors to a balcony, and she turned to find Adam's eyes upon her. He was standing halfway across the ballroom, but she was trapped by his gaze. A net could not have held her more firmly.

She didn't move, barely even breathed as he made his way through the crowd to her side. She thought someone spoke to her, asking her for a dance, but Teela merely shook her head, waving the fellow away without even really seeing who it was. Then he was there, staring down at her, his blue eyes blazing like sapphires. Heart pounding in her chest, half-afraid that he might be able to hear it, Teela dropped into a graceful curtsy. She'd practiced the move all morning, but she'd never imagined what it would be like trying to curtsy while her knees were shaking beneath her skirts.

Then Adam was taking her by the hand and leading her out onto the dance floor. For an endless time, neither of them spoke and Teela was hyper-aware of his physical presence. His right hand was incredibly warm against her lower back, the heat from it all but scorching her skin through her clothing. Every time his fingers shifted, it sent tingles shooting up her spine to the base of her neck. His left hand held her right in a firm but gentle grip, his thumb absently massaging the edge of her palm in a way that made Teela's breathing slow despite her racing pulse.

_Oh, Ancients, I want him so much... Why did it take me so long to see him as something more than a foster brother?_ Leaning into his grasp, Teela rested her head on the prince's shoulder, uncaring who might be watching. _He smells divine. And I don't think it's a cologne._ To the captain's surprise, the prince's heart was beating as wildly as her own. Pulling back slightly, she smiled up at him, only to find that his eyes were half-closed - as if, he too, was lost in the sensations of their dance.

"Happy Mid-Summer," she whispered breathlessly.

He cleared his throat and swallowed. His voice, when he spoke, was surprisingly hoarse. "Happy Mid-Summer, Teela. You... look absolutely amazing."

"So do you," she murmured, feeling herself blush. "I don't think I've - "

Adam's eyes widened abruptly, his skin flushing darkly. "Not that you don't always look beautiful," he blurted. "You do. Look beautiful, I mean. All the time! I - "

"Adam - "

"No, really, I do think that - "

"Adam, listen. I - "

"I've insulted you. I'm sorry, I - "

"Adam!" she hissed, alarmed by his growing volume. If his babbling continued, other dancers were bound to notice. _Blast it._ Casting a furtive glance around, Teela took her hand off his shoulder, grabbed his chin, and planted a quick, relatively chaste, kiss on his lips.

The prince stopped babbling.

He gaped at her with wide, shocked eyes for several seconds. Then, as Teela chewed nervously on her lip, he reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry," he mumbled, dropping his gaze to their feet as he returned his hand to her back. "You do look nice, though."

Teela threw back her head and laughed. "So do you, your highness. So do you."

Adam snorted softly, then, to Teela's relief, he too began to laugh. "Guess I'm just a little nervous tonight." Meeting her eyes once more, he grinned shyly. "So, how did you like your present?"

Teela blinked. Present? Did he give me a present yet?

"I left it on your bedside table," he explained when she made no reply. Then, wide-eyed, he said, "Didn't you see it?"

He looked so hurt, so desperately disappointed, that Teela nodded quickly, biting her tongue, hoping he wouldn't ask any questions that would reveal her lie. "Yes, I saw it. It's... nice. Great." She smiled broadly. "But then, you always find just the right gifts for people."

Adam blinked slowly, and his face went oddly still for a moment. "I'm... glad you like it," he said, a peculiar tinge to his voice.

Desperate for a change of subject, Teela exclaimed, "I saw Cringer wandering around the halls with an enormous red and gold bow tied around his neck this morning. How'd you manage that?"

The prince laughed politely, seemingly willing to go along with her change of topic. "Actually, Orko did that. He and my mother were decorating everything in sight earlier today, and Cringer was unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire." He pulled her close again, and Teela was more than willing to lay her head once more upon his shoulder. She could hear the smile in his voice, however, when he said, "Do you remember the time that Cringer... "

It was an old story, one that she knew well. And it was only the first. They talked and laughed, dancing all the while, oblivious to the world around them. Several times, Teela started to tell him her news, tell him that she had resigned her post and would be leaving at the end of the week. But she couldn't do it. It was so nice, just being held close to him. So comfortable. So right. She wanted the moment to last for along as she could make it. Surely, the morning would be soon enough for her news. _Just let me have tonight. Just let me have this moment. Tomorrow the world will take him away again, but tonight is mine...ours._

* * *

Castaspella was standing on the edge of the dance floor, chatting with an Eternian wizard from someplace called Stone Mountain, when Adam and Teela whirled past. She blinked in surprise and followed them with her eyes. She'd seen them take to the floor during a waltz perhaps an hour earlier. Much as she loathed to admit it, they moved very well together, gliding through the motions of the waltz with a natural ease. _No doubt they learned to dance together years ago,_ she thought with just the slightest hint of scorn. _They must have spent many long hours in intense practice as children. That's all this is, the result of their time spent together as children. Though neither of them seems remotely like a child this evening._

Castaspella had been surprised... no, shocked by the Eternian captain's appearance when she'd seen her for the first time earlier that evening. Teela was dressed as befit a lady of the court in a golden ball gown that shimmered with her every movement. Truth be told, in that candlelit chamber, the dress fairly burned like the sun, eclipsed only by the flaming strands of Teela's hair. She was undeniably beautiful, and more than one gentleman's eyes had lingered on her stunning form as she danced by in the arms of the Prince of Eternia.

Castaspella's own heart had plummeted at the sight, for Adam was gazing rapturously into Teela's face, the love he felt for the Eternian captain blindingly obvious to someone who suffered from a similarly unrequited devotion. _Ancients preserve me,_ she'd thought. _Three words from her. That's all it would take. Three words... and I'd lose him forever. _

Then, struck by the absurdity of the paranoia that was gradually consuming her, she'd quickly reminded herself that Adam had danced with a number of equally beautiful and entrancing ladies that evening. Why, at the time she saw them go by, Castaspella had already danced with the prince twice herself. Admittedly, she had been unable to get Adam to herself as often as she would have liked, but he had hardly ignored her.

But that had all been more than an hour ago, and the prince and his captain were once more floating by her, lost in the music and each other's company. Excusing herself, she abandoned her conversation with the Eternian wizard and began to walk around the edges of the dance floor, trying to follow their progress despite the crush of people that impeded her view. Eventually, as these things always do, the dance ended and couples broke apart, the revelers going in search of rest, refreshment, and other partners. But not Adam and Teela. Their movements slowed, their steps wound down to something that more nearly resembled a walk, then the music picked up, switching from a waltz to a tango, and they were gone again.

They stayed together through two dances... three... four... _and no telling how long they were dancing together before I noticed them again!_ Eyes narrowing, Castaspella started across the room, determined to cut in if they didn't separate at the end of the current reel. Before she could even get close, however, she found herself face to face with the king of Eternia.

"Ah, Queen Castaspella, will you honor me with this dance?"

_No! _she shrieked internally. _I've got to get that hussy away from your son!_ Swallowing and forcing a smile, she said, "Why, yes, of course, your highness." Some hint of her distress must have leaked through, however, for Randor turned his head and looked back over his shoulder, following the direction of her gaze. When he saw Adam, the king's manner changed abruptly.

"Who is that young scamp dancing with?" he muttered sourly, a frown turning him lips ominously downward. "I could have sworn I saw him dancing with her not ten minutes ago."

_Uh oh, _Castaspella thought, her eyes widening in alarm. But before she could say anything to turn the king from his course, Randor had excused himself and walked away, clearly heading straight for his son and the captain of the guard. _Wonderful, Castaspella. Just marvelous. Adam will just love you sending his father to yell at him in the middle of a ball. I swear these people won't let their children grow up!_

She waffled, turning first one way and then another before smacking her balled fists against her hips and hurrying after the king of Eternia. _Why me? Why couldn't I fall in love with someone simple... like a Hordesman? Why me?_ Randor quickly outdistanced her, adept at moving through the throng as he was, and the wizardess knew that he would reach her love long before she did.

* * *

Adam inhaled deeply, savoring the dizzying fragrance of the woman he held in his arms. She wore no perfumes, and she needed none. There was a faint, lingering scent of honey in her hair, but she'd used that same shampoo since childhood, and he couldn't imagine her hair smelling any other way. It was glorious. She was glorious. And for these few precious hours, she was his.

When he'd first seen her standing on the other side of the ballroom, he'd hardly dared to believe that the vision before him was really Teela, looking like the risen sun in a gown of gold, her fiery hair falling about her bare shoulders. She'd taken his breath away. Truth be told, she'd taken away his very ability to think. Luckily, his feet had carried him to her side of their own accord. They'd danced in silence, locked in a unity so profound it neither required nor desired words. Unfortunately that hadn't prevented his subsequent descent into babbling idiocy.

And then... _what did that kiss mean? What does she really feel for me? Is there still hope? Did I give up too soon?_ But there would be time enough to worry about that when the ball was over. For now, Adam was content to hold her in his arms while they talked over old times. If his cheek sometimes strayed to the top of her head, if he delighted in the feel of her silken hair against his bare skin, surely no one would notice.

He realized abruptly, standing there with her head pillowed on his shoulder, how much shorter than him Teela really was. The boots she habitually wore had pretty high heels on them, rendering her the same height as the prince she'd been assigned to guard. But tonight the top of her head came just to his chin. _She's wearing slippers, he thought in wonderment. My tough, hard as stone warrior is wearing dancing slippers! What in Eternia could have brought about such a change? I'd sooner have expected Skeletor to show up dressed like a court maiden than Teela!_

They were just beginning a new dance, stepping to the strains of a tango when the magic of the moment was irrevocably broken by the sound of a clearing throat. Yanked from his idyll, Adam jerked his head around, staring in the direction of the sound, and was disgruntled to find himself face to face with his father.

"Adam, won't you be so gracious as to introduce to me to your lovely dancing partner?" Randor favored his son with a scathing look that was decidedly at odds with the dulcet tones of his question. The prince blinked, uncertain how to reply, but before he could even try, Teela solved the problem for him by turning to face the king.

"I hardly think we need to be introduced, your majesty," she said, not even trying to hide her amusement.

"Teela!" Randor exclaimed, flushing darkly. "I didn't recognize - I didn't realize - well, for the Ancients' sake!" Taking her by the shoulders, the king pulled her close and planted a quick kiss on her cheek before releasing her. "I do apologize, my dear," he said, chuckling. "Only imagine my chagrin. I came over here fully intending to chastise Adam for devoting too much of his attention to a single young lady, only to discover that the belle he's been dancing with for the past hour is you!"

Adam watched in amazement as Teela ducked her head, blushing furiously. "I'm sorry, your majesty," she said. "I shouldn't have monopolized him the way I - "

The prince scowled at the king, infuriated to find himself being treated like a child on this night of all nights. Still, his father was right. By dancing with Teela for so long, Adam was drawing unflattering and unwanted attention to his old friend. _The Ancients only know what sort of rumors I've started here tonight._ Sighing, he said, "Don't apologize, Teela. It was my fault. I shouldn't have - " He broke off as Randor, smiling tolerantly upon his son, waved him to silence

"Nonsense, my dears," the king said, shifting his forbearing smile from his son to his captain of the guard and causing the prince to grind his teeth to control his temper. "It's only natural that the two of you should want to spend this evening together. After all," he said, taking both of Teela's hands in his and favoring her with strangely melancholy smile, "I know Adam is going to miss you desperately when you leave, as we all will. I only wish I could have convinced you to stay. I don't know how I'll ever find another bodyguard for my son who will have either your dedication or your tolerance for his shenanigans."

Teela, who had been smiling at the king with an equally affectionate expression, suddenly pulled her hands from his grasp, her eyes going very wide. She said something. Adam was certain she said something, but he couldn't hear the words over the sound of the blood rushing behind his ears.

_Teela's leaving. _

_She's leaving her post._

_She's leaving me._

_She's leaving... and she didn't tell me._

_Father knew, and she didn't tell me._

_Mother must know._

_Man-At-Arms must know._

_And no one... _

_I can't. I can't! I can't do this!_

Pivoting, Adam dodged Teela's attempt to grab him by the arm. Brushing past startled courtiers, he dashed for the nearest exit from the ballroom, uncaring what anyone thought of his performance. _Damn them all! I am every kind of a fool! How could I ever have believed, even for a moment, that she actually - _

Tears welled up, and he did not even try to suppress them. What did it matter? What did any of it matter? The world already believed him to be a coward. And Man-At-Arms - far from trying to dispel it - had actually encouraged the misconception. After all, it was protecting He-Man's secret that mattered... not protecting Adam's reputation. The prince's tears, cried in so public a place, would only further the impression of him as a useless, weak and sniveling fop.

_And maybe, just maybe, the rest of the world is right. What use am I?_

* * *

Adora was dancing with General Varille, a man who reminded her surprisingly of Bow both in his appearance and general mannerisms, when she noticed a strange scene taking place about halfway across the room. Her father, wearing a decidedly sour look on his face, was in the process of descending upon her brother at quick march. Adam, for his part was oblivious to the approaching danger. _And no wonder! Is that Teela he's dancing with? Good gracious!_ Then, before she could be certain precisely what the problem was, she was whirled into a clump of fellow dancers and lost sight of her family.

The instant the set was over, she returned her partner to his extremely pregnant and good-natured wife, then hastened in the direction she'd last seen her family. Her father had just come back into sight, standing by himself and looking utterly perplexed, when Adora was hit by a speeding windraider. At least, it felt like a speeding windraider. She reached out blindly, fighting to maintain her balance, and found herself caught and held by a startled looking soldier, while the person who'd struck her dashed away through the crowd. Castaspella? She turned to thank the man who'd broken her fall, only to find herself nearly blindsided a second time. The soldier, whose name she still did not know, deftly picked her up with an arm around her waist and swung her out of the way. Teela! What is going on here?!

Adora exchanged a sheepish grin with her benefactor - she'd have to find out his name later - and said a hasty thank you. Then she hurried to her father's side, a thousand questions buzzing through her mind. She found her mother'd had much the same idea, for they converged upon the king at the same moment.

"What on Earth is going on here?" Marlena demanded as she drew even with her husband. "Why did Adam just run out of here like wolves were nipping at his heels?"

"I'm not certain I understand what just happened," Randor said, sounding as baffled as he looked.

* * *

Teela ran after Adam, cursing the dancing slippers that slid precariously on the smooth marble of the floor. He ran out of the ballroom and onto a balcony, disappearing from view as he passed through the doors. An instant later, she saw Castaspella slip through the same balcony doors, and Teela's temples began to throb. That was all she needed, for the Etherian queen to stick her nose in the middle of what was already an alarmingly screwed up situation. _I should have told him. I should have told him right away. I never dreamed he'd be so angry...so hurt. I am an idiot! _Teela was not far behind the prince, but by the time she made it onto the balcony, he had vanished into the night air like so much vapor.

Castaspella, however, was not at all hard to find. The wizardess was standing in the exact center of the balcony, a look of murderous rage on her face as she watched Teela's approach. Grinding her teeth, the captain walked directly over to the Etherian queen and fixed her with a level gaze.

"Where is Adam?" she demanded.

"And why in the name of the Ancients should I tell you?" Castaspella spat back. "Haven't you done enough damage for one night?"

"This has nothing to do with you, your majesty," Teela ground out. "It is a private matter between - "

"Private? Private!" the wizardess shrieked, hands balling into fists at her sides. "You made the crown prince of Eternia cry at a public gathering, and you say it is a 'private' matter! What kind of monster are you?"

Utterly stunned by the ferocity of the other woman's attack, Teela gaped at her, all thoughts of pursuing the prince temporarily forgotten. Her mouth worked for several seconds before she finally managed a mumbled, "What?"

"I knew you were cruel," Castaspella said bitingly. "I've heard how you taunt him. How you take every opportunity to insult and denigrate him, but I would never have dreamed that you would say something so vicious that it would reduce him to tears before his people."

Adam, Teela thought suddenly. Adam has been talking about me with Castaspella. He's been talking about us? Her mind reeled wildly. He talked with her about us! The captain shook her head, bringing her thoughts back to the moment, and realized abruptly that her adversary... her rival was still speaking.

"I have seen little of Eternia, it's true. But I have seen enough to know that you are the coldest - "

Her own hands clenching and unclenching with fury, Teela took a step closer to the Etherian. "I have had just about enough of your superior attitude, your majesty," she snapped. "Who do you think you are, coming in here, giving orders, throwing your weight around! Adam is my friend. He's been my best friend for as long as I've been alive, and I don't need someone like you telling me - "

"Friend?" The wizardess' eyes widened in disbelief. "You still call him that, yet I know for a fact that you impugn his courage almost daily. How can you call him a coward, and then call him your friend? Why he puts up with your constant slings and barbs, I cannot imagine!"

For several seconds, Teela said nothing, merely staring at the other woman while the silence of the night stretched around them. Then, speaking very carefully, keeping her tone astonishingly neutral, she said, "It must be so easy for you to judge me. You spent, what, a few hours with Adam on Etheria. And now you've spent a few short weeks in his company here on Eternia."

"I don't see what that - "

Teela held up a hand, cutting off the Etherian's words. "Yet you stand there and judge my relationship with him. I've known Adam for years. My whole life. His whole life. I've known him longer and better than his own sister, but you act as if all of that means absolutely nothing."

"You call him a coward - " Castapella began.

"He is a coward!" Teela shouted, momentarily forgetting herself in her anger. Her words began quietly enough, but as her frustration grew so did her volume. "Do you have any idea what it's like to think you know someone? To think you know everything about them? What it's like to believe that you could always - ALWAYS - count on that one person, and then have them desert you when you need them the most? Can you? I don't pretend to understand why he changed, but I refuse to believe even for a moment that you know him better than I do!"

Teela took a long, deep breath, trying to ignore the voice in the back of her mind that flinched at every word, screaming for her to stop now before she said something she couldn't possibly take back. "If I call Adam a coward, I have earned the right to do so with my own blood."

For what felt like an eternity, the wizardess said nothing. Then, as if unable to contain the words any longer, she lurched forward, exclaiming, "You're a fool! Adam is no coward. He is brave and courageous. He has a kind and noble heart. There is no better man on all of Etheria or Eternia!"

_Brave and courageous? Adam? _"You make him sound like He-Man," Teela said, unable to wrap her mind around this view of her childhood friend. Before Teela could reply, Castaspella continued.

"Obviously, I have never met this Adam you speak of so derogatorily. The Prince Adam that I know, that all of Etheria knows, is a hero. I would sooner have him by my side than a hundred He-Mans." She jerked her chin up, setting her auburn hair to dancing in the firelight. "I want to marry him."

"You what?" Teela gasped. She'd suspected it for some time, but to hear the wizardess actually say it...

"I know you do not love him, but is it so very hard for you to believe that someone else could? You don't care for him at all; can't you leave him alone? Can't you let him be happy?"

"Leave him alone? But Castaspella, I do care - "

"You have strange way of showing it, Eternian. You treat him like a doll, to be picked up and played with, then tossed aside when you grow bored. You have no heart," she said as tears began to slide down her cheeks, "but you have his love."

Teela's eyes widened and she sucked in a sharp breath as the Etherian's words struck her like a blow. "You can't be serious! Adam doesn't - "

"Oh, but I am serious," she said, her teary eyes flashing. "You have his love now, but you will not keep it. I will win his heart. And when I am his wife, I swear he will not even remember your name!" With that, the wizardess turned and stepped over the edge of the balcony in a flash of magical light, leaving Teela alone with her confusion - and her conscience.

* * *

Castaspella hurried through the gardens, walking quickly but not running for fear of drawing unwanted attention to herself and the prince she sought. There was no cloud cover, and the twin moons provided all the illumination she could have needed for her search. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. As she came to the intersection of two large garden walkways and half-a-dozen smaller ones, she knew she'd lost him. Narrowing her eyes, the wizardess turned in a slow circle, scanning the moonlit darkness and finding no sign of her quarry.

_Adam... where are you?_

Sighing, she took one last quick look around to make sure no one was watching. Then, holding her hands out before her, palms upward, she concentrated on drawing power from within and pooling it together. Slowly, a small, swirling mass of light formed, hanging in the air above her hands, sparkling like a jewel as it cast dancing shadows on the surrounding foliage. It continued to grow, spinning frenetically until it was roughly the diameter of a human heart. Satisfied with its size, and becoming more anxious to find Adam with each passing moment, Castaspella muttered a hasty incantation.

Fairy light, don't let him hide,

Take me to my prince's side.

_Not my best verse, _she thought off-handedly as the ball turned a deep, rich red - _Is it blushing or am I? - but it will do_. The witchlight shot off, careening around the edge of a bush and disappeared from sight. But the wizardess did not have to see orb to follow it. Impatiently flicking her hair back over her shoulder, she rushed after her guide.

Teela must have upset Adam more deeply than even I suspected, Castaspella thought angrily as she followed the orb through garden after garden, beyond the castle walls and into the harvest fields outside the city of Eternos. _I never would have dreamed he'd run this far._

The moons were still high in the night sky, their light shimmering like gold over the wheat fields below, when the queen at last found her prince. Adam was sitting on the edge of a hay-filled wagon in the middle of an enormous field which had only been half-cleared. From her vantage point, Castaspella could see only a quarter of his profile, but he looked pensive as he sat, unmoving, and stared up at the starry sky. His hands hung loosely between his spread knees, but his back was surprising straight, his shoulders unslumped. His circlet must have been discarded at some point during his retreat for his hair moved temptingly across his forehead, swaying with the light breeze that carried the scent of hay back to her nostrils. The aroma was surprisingly arousing.

_Or maybe it's the view._

The witchlight, having served its purpose, spun itself into tiny red sparks that scattered wildly, vanishing into the night. The wizardess no longer needed it to guide her, but for some strange reason, she couldn't seem to get her feet to move. _Come on, Casta. Don't be so pathetic. What's he going to do? Yell at you for worrying about him?_ Taking a deep breath, she started forward, forcing her feet to take her closer, one step at a time.

The Etherian queen was watching her prince so closely that she knew the precise moment when he saw that she was there. His eyes widened as his head swiveled in her direction, and she realized abruptly that the brightness of his eyes was not due to moonlight. "Oh, my darling!" she cried, now rushing forward to climb hastily up beside him.

He regarded her with a teary gaze, studying her image as if uncertain how she could possibly have come to be there. He said not a word, merely watching her curiously as she settled next to him.

"Adam?" Castaspella asked worriedly, reaching out to brush tears from his pale cheek with her thumb. _That wretched MONSTER! What did Teela say to cause this? What did she do?_ Fighting not to let her anger show, she forced a trembling smile. "Say something, my darling. Adam?" His only answer was to close his eyes and turn his cheek into her hand, rubbing his skin against her fingers.

"Are you - " She never finished her question. The wizardess' breath caught in her throat as his hand came up to cover hers, his thumb caressing her skin enticingly. Then his eyes opened, and she found herself captured by a gaze so painfully raw, so unbearably naked that she could not look away. When he spoke, his words were so soft that she nearly missed them.

"Do you love me?" he asked quietly.

Castaspella nodded, the world beyond him swimming in her vision. "Yes." Adam smiled, a bittersweet expression that made her long to hold him close and protect him from everything and anything that two worlds could throw at them.

"Do you want me - "

Yes! Ancients, please, yes! Her heart drummed madly within her. Her temples throbbed.

" - to come to Mystacore with you?"

Again the wizardess nodded, barely daring to breathe as he held her with his eyes. She cleared her throat nervously. "Yes," she croaked. "More than anything..."

His smile widened, brightened until it seemed to her as if it shone more brightly than the stars themselves. She leaned closer, and found that Adam was already leaning toward her. An arm slipped around her waist. A hand found its way into her hair, but Castaspella barely noticed these things as his lips met hers. He'd never kissed her like this. No one had... not for a long, endless time. This was no tentative kiss, no cautious exploration, no practice exercise. This was no insecure that boy she held in her arms. This was a man. At last...

Passion, purpose and promise - in one tantalizing embrace.

Groaning, Castaspella tightened her arms across his back, pulling him closer as she deepened the kiss. _Oh, my love. At last, you will be my love._ Then, just as abruptly as it had begun, the kiss ended. Adam jerked away, gasping and swearing under his breath.

"No! Stop! We have to stop," he exclaimed. "This is wrong! I'm so sorry, I - "

"I'm not!" she implored, reaching out and clasping his hands in hers. "Oh, Adam, don't you see? Don't you see how right this is? How right we are, together?"

"It's not fair to you," he insisted. "I don't want to give you false hope when I know that I'll always... We'd be living a lie. I do care for you, but I'll always love... " He started to turn away, but the wizardess held tightly to his hands.

"No hope is false, my love," she interjected quickly. "Adam, you promised me you would try. That you would give us a chance."

"And I have tried," he said, his tears making glistening tracks down his cheeks. "I've tried so hard. Tried to forget her. Tried to stop loving her. Tried to make this work. Nothing helps. I don't know what more I can do!"

"Do you have no feelings for me beyond friendship?" she asked quietly, gazing up into his shining eyes.

"I do love you," Adam said, pulling her into his arms and resting his cheek against the top of her head. She let out a little sigh, settling into his embrace. "I just... I can't love you the way that you wish me to, the way that you deserve to be loved. I'd always be thinking about - "

"And what of you?" she cried, tightening her arm. "Do you not deserve love as well, deserve someone who will hold you above all others?"

"You know how I feel about Teela," he whispered despairingly. "Nothing has changed."

"But it will, Adam!" she cried, pulling away just far enough to gaze into his eyes once more. "It will change. I can wait. We can take as long as you need."

"Casta... "

The wizardess grinned wryly and reached up to cup his cheek in her hand once more. "Teela's had twenty years to win your heart, my love. Shouldn't I have just as much time to steal it?"

Adam laughed despite himself, then smiled sadly. He shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you."

"And you never could," she said firmly, brushing away a fresh tear with her thumb. "You don't have it in you to hurt anyone. Oh, please, Adam. Give me a chance. Give us a chance." She buried her face in his neck. "Come stay with me on Etheria for a time. Come to Mystacore. We can make it work. I know we can."

He said nothing, did nothing for several seconds, and Castaspella waited impatiently, listening to the beating of his heart. _Please, Adam. Please._

Then, ever so slowly, one of his hands trailed down the side of her breast sending tingles of pleasure darting through her skin. The Etherian gasped, her eyes widening in startlement. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she pulled his head downward and into a kiss. It was slower, softer than the first had been, but then, as if a flood gate had at last been broken, he groaned and tightened his arms around her. The kiss deepened, grew in intensity until Castaspella was no longer certain whose moans she was hearing.

Adam's fingers fumbled at the lacings of her dress, and they were falling backward into the hay. Before they'd landed, and without even thinking about it, she'd transfigured the prickly stalks into a soft bed of feathers. A moment later their clothing vanished, the warm evening breeze dancing tantalizingly across their bare skin. _Adam... _


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Castaspella's words still reverberating through her mind, Teela turned to the doors of the balcony, turned back to the party, and discovered that she couldn't face it. There were faces staring back at her, some shocked, some appalled, and all extremely curious.

_Oh, Ancients above! How loud were we? _It was several seconds before the captain realized that she was already backing away, arms clutched tightly across her torso, heading to the edge of the balcony. Uncaring suddenly how it might look, Teela whirled around and vaulted the railing. The ballroom was on the second floor, and she landed easily in the garden below, her knees bending automatically to break the impact of her descent. Then she was running, hurrying down dark walkways, the gravel crunching beneath her slippers, bruising the bottoms of her feet as she ran.

She briefly considered going in pursuit of Adam, but with no magical powers and no equipment, it would be next to impossible to track him in the dark. Certainly, ballgowns were not suited to hectic pursuits and she had no idea where he might have gone. _Let Castaspella comfort him, _she thought bitterly. _That's what she wants, and I'm sure he'll enjoy the fawning attention. _Tears welled up, and Teela didn't even try to hold them back. _Of course he enjoys Castaspella's regard. Who else has he been able to turn to? Who else has ever treated him as if he mattered? Certainly not… me._

Swallowing hard, all but blinded by the tears that streamed down her cheeks, Teela turned a shadowy corner, nearly bowled over a startled courtier, stuttered out a reflexive apology and ran on. She could hear the man muttering reproachments behind her, but it didn't matter. _What does anything matter now? Adam hates me! He must hate me! _Lighted windows passed by in a blur as she dashed through the shadows.

She rushed up a flight of steps, her slippered feet slapping on the tile, and only then did she realize that her feet had carried her not to her own quarters, but to the rooms occupied by her father. Without hesitation, she keyed open the door and went inside. Once in the outer room, she stopped and looked about her, soaking in every detail. Finding comfort in the familiar. Home. This was still home for her. She'd grown up in these chambers. She'd lain countless hours stretched out on her belly on the polished hardwood floor of the sitting room, moving toy soldiers across imaginary battlefields. Across the room from the entrance was the scarred old table where she and her father had passed lazy afternoons together, talking about their day while they assembled children's puzzles or bits of machinery that he was teaching her to repair. It hadn't mattered which. She'd loved it just the same.

It had been far too long since Teela had spent any real time here, and her heart contracted painfully when she saw a half-assembled, antique air compressor sitting forlornly in the center of the table. Pieces were scattered around it, waiting for some hand to pick them up and set them in their proper place. Looking at that table, she knew that her decision had been a lie. That she had been lying to herself was hardly shocking, she'd been doing it for years after all. But now, she had to face the truth. She could no more leave this place, leave her father and her friends than she could stop loving Adam. She would still resign her commission, as planned, but Eternos was her home and always would be. Maybe…

_Maybe Father will let me live with him. Maybe I can stay here and find work in the city. _Hurrying onward, she passed into the suite's more private rooms. On the left was the kitchen and, beside it, her father's office. There, too, she had spent the long years of her childhood, studying for her school tests, practicing to pass the officer's exam. And while she worked, her father had often been only a few feet away, working at his own duties, looking up periodically to make sure that she was still on task and didn't need any help. Sometimes, Adam would be beside her, studying with her for their shared classes. After all, Man-At-Arms had been teacher to both of them from the time they could walk. Whenever possible, he'd taught them together.

_Father always thought highly of Adam. Always. Even when Adam changed, Father never scolded him for it, never chastised him for running away, for not being brave. He could see Adam's worth from the beginning. Why did it take me so long?_

Her vision clouding with the ever-present tears, Teela moved away without going into the office, across from her now were her old room and her father's room. Creeping forward, she turned the handle of the door to her room and let it swing open. It was dark inside, but light from the exterior lamps shone in through the windows, decorating the room with scattered patches of light and shadow. It hadn't really changed at all. Her bed was still there, ruffle-edged quilts and all. An old, fat, stuffed gray pony named Berford rested against the pillows as if waiting for her to climb in and go to sleep, cuddling him close.

Her medals hung on the wall above her vanity. Her collection of sea shells and pine cones was still in place on the window sills. It was difficult to be certain in the dark, but she suspected that there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. The room was just… waiting. For what, she wasn't certain. Stepping quickly inside, as if afraid to disturb that strangely solemn stillness, she snatched up the stuffed pony and then walked back out into the hallway, closing the door firmly behind her.

Clutching Berford against her chest, Teela tiptoed into her father's bedroom. There was no real need for stealth, but old habits die slow deaths. The bed was, of course, empty since Man-At-Arms was still at the ball, probably trying to calm the court down after Teela's shouting matching with the Queen of Etheria. Suddenly unable to bear any more, and heedless of her golden ballgown, Teela flung herself onto the bed, curling up into a ball on the chocolate brown comforter. Holding Berford close, she cried herself sick, wishing that she could be small again, wishing that she could start over.

When her father finally came home hours later, it was with none of the recriminations that Teela had been dreading. He just stroked her frazzled hair, pulled her into his arms, and covered them both with a spare blanket. They lay there, cuddled together until real sleep finally took her.

Feeling surprisingly calm for someone about to enter the lion's den, Adam raised a hand knocked on the door of his father's office. Though most of the residents of the palace, courtiers and servants alike, were still abed at this early hour, the prince knew that his father would be up and working. A late night at the midsummer ball would not deter the King of Eternia in the slightest.

As he'd expected, it was only a moment before a familiar voice called out from with the room, "Come in."

Adam opened the door and stepped inside, his emotions still shrouded by an unusual sense of calm indifference to the coming confrontation. Perhaps it had something to do with his change in wardrobe. Wearing a new shirt shouldn't seem like a life-changing experience, but his mother had always joked about putting on her armor in the morning. _Maybe this is what she meant. Maybe we really are what we appear to be, _he thought wonderingly. _I dressed like a clown when I wanted the world to think me a fool and a buffoon. That worked remarkably well. So if I dress like I know what I'm doing, maybe the world will believe that as well. Unfortunately, Father isn't the world._

The king was seated at his desk, a sheaf of papers spread before him. "Oh, good morning, Adam," he said, looking up from his work with a smile on his face.

"Good morning, Father," Adam replied, as he shut the door behind him. "May I speak to you for a few minutes?"

"Of course, son," Randor said, his brow furrowing at the prince's serious tones. "Is something wrong?" he asked as Adam came forward and sat down in a chair directly across from his desk.

"Not… wrong, precisely," Adam demurred, crossing his hands in his lap and staring down at them. When he began to fidget with his fingernails, his father cleared his throat noisily.

"Adam?" the king said slowly, drawing the name out. "Adam, does this have something to do with what happened at the ball last night?"

The prince flushed darkly, vivdly remembering exactly what had happened after he left the ball – no, not what had _happened_, what he'd _done_. He'd been an active and eager participant, and it was high time that he stopped thinking of himself as a victim of circumstance. He'd chosen his path… so why was it so difficult to tell his father that?

When he said nothing, Randor cleared his throat and began again. "Son, I know you were distressed by Teela's decision to leave her position, and I'm sorry I sprung it on you that way. I assumed that she would already have spoken with you about her intentions. You've always been very close."

_Not anymore, _Adam thought, overwhelmed by regret for an instant. But he quickly shut the emotion down, clenching his fists and taking a slow, deep breath. "That's not what this is about, Father. At least," he shrugged, "not directly."

Lifting his chin, he met his father's eyes, and the patient concern that Adam saw there came as something of a surprise to him. Admittedly, he and his father had been getting on better ever since, well, ever since he'd died. But still… "You're not angry about the way I ran off last night," Adam said. It was not a question.

"No," Randor said, a tiny smile quirking up his lips.

"Why?"

Sighing, the king leaned back in his chair, turning slightly from side to side. Head tilted back, he gazed up at the ceiling as he said, "I guess I've finally remembered what's it's like to be young, single and in love." He snorted. "And to wish you'd been born a baker's son. I used to dream about tossing my crown in the nearest river and opening a bakery." Returning his gaze to Adam's face, he grinned broadly. "Your mother makes very good sticky buns."

For a moment Adam boggled as entirely new and non-food based connotations for that statement formed themselves in his mind. Then, giving himself a little shake, he said, "Oh."

"So," Randor said, still smiling, "I'm sure you didn't come to see me for a lecture. What is it you need, Son?"

Forcing his hands to be still in his lap, Adam explained. "I told you that Castaspella has asked to come to Etheria for an extended visit?" The king's eyes widened and he nodded, gesturing for Adam to continue. "I've accepted her offer. And we'd like to leave this morning."

Randor leapt to his feet, his mouth hanging open. "So quickly!"

Getting to his own feet, though not quite meeting his father's eyes, the prince said, "I don't want to waste any more time. I feel like I've wasted too much time already."

"Adam, is there some need for such a rush? You're not in some kind of trouble?"

"No, Father!" Adam said firmly, his head snapping up as he met the king's troubled gaze with his own. "I just – I want this. And I don't want to wait."

Randor came rapidly around the desk and placed his hands on the prince's arms. "You're certain this is what you want?" he demanded. "You're positive?"

"I am," Adam replied without hesitation, trying to look more confident than he actually felt. _She loves you. Just remember that. She loves you._ _You owe her a chance to make this work. _Clearing his throat, the prince grinned wryly. "It's… only a visit, Father."

"All right, Adam. If this is what you really want, then of course I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, Father." The relief in his voice was more than evident, and perhaps that had something to do with Randor's sudden decision to reach out and ruffle his hair.

"Dad!" Adam protested, backing away. "I have to walk back through the halls like this." He finger-combed his hair as his father laughed.

"What time will you depart?"

"In an hour," Adam admitted. "I've been packing all night."

The king's eyebrows shot upward. "My, you are determined to go quickly. Will the Sorceress be – "

"No. Castaspella is using a spell of her own. She… she says she has an overabundance of power at the moment." Adam flushed once again, knowing just where she'd absorbed some of that excess energy. _Now that had been an unexpected side effect of their union._ _Castaspella was so puzzled. _Shifting nervously on his feet, he added, "She can manage for just the three of us. We'll leave from the main practice yard."

"Three? Oh, Cringer, naturally. Very well. I will tell your mother. Then we will see you there in an hour, at – " he turned and looked at the small timepiece on his desk – "ten o'clock. Correct?"

Adam nodded and turned to go. With his hand on the door handle, he paused. Without looking back at the king, he said, "Once I'm gone, ask Teela to withdraw her resignation. She may feel differently without me underfoot."

Then, before his father could reply, he slipped out of the room.

To Teela's immense surprise, Man-At-Arms actually accepted her decision when she announced the next morning that she did not wish to discuss the events of the previous evening. They breakfasted together in the suite's small kitchen, Teela wearing an old nightdress which she'd retrieved from the dresser in her bedroom and which, despite a certain minor tautness across her chest, largely still fit her. At first they ate in silence. Then, gradually, they began to talk of their work and their mutual friends, carefully avoiding any references to the royal family or Teela's resignation. They spoke of duty schedules and garrison rotation, ongoing experiments and upcoming projects. All very neutral. All very safe. And never once did her father reproach her for what he had to regard as her imprudent decision to leave her post as a captain of the guard.

Words, unsaid, hung in the air about them until Teela could hardly bear the weight of them on her shoulders. With no explanation she rose from her seat, said, "I'm doing the right thing," and marched from the kitchen. Once in her own room, she ransacked the drawers and closets until she found a baggy set of exercise clothes that would still fit her and was in reasonably decent condition. The dress, her literally golden ballgown, she left hanging neatly in the back of her wardrobe, hidden behind an assortment of old cloaks and worn out armor.

Her father was waiting in the sitting room, perched on the arm of the sofa, when she emerged a short while later, her face scrubbed clean and her hair pulled back in a neat braid. He looked troubled, even anxious, but Teela was not in the mood to listen to advice or admonitions. "I know what I'm doing," she repeated. "Really, Father. I do. And… and I'll talk with you later. After, well, after I've finished my duties for the day. We… I have something I want to ask you."

"All right, Teela," Man-At-Arms said with a weary sigh. "You're old enough to know your own mind." Coming over to stand beside her, he put his hands on the sides of her shoulders. "It's hard for a father to let his little girl grow up. Harder still when he sees her stumbling, knowing how the fall will hurt. But you have to walk life's road on your own. I only hope that you won't regret the path you choose this day. That's all." And with that, he pulled her into an embrace, clasping her tightly in his arms until Teela feared that her ribs would crack. Then, just as abruptly, the hug was over, and her father had disappeared into the suite's rear chambers.

Still feeling slightly numb from his impassioned speech, Teela headed back to her own rooms. More than few of the people that she passed in the halls whispered into their companions' ears and craned their necks to get a better look at her. But she was determined neither to be embarrassed, nor to allow any of the anxiety that she felt to show. She would behave as if nothing untoward had happened. She'd serve her duty shift as always, and then…

_Then I'll find Adam and tell him everything. I know I hurt him dreadfully last night, but he'll understand once I explain _why _I have to leave. It will be humiliating to admit how I feel, but Adam will be kind. He always is. Why, he must have girls falling in love two and three times a week. We'll both have a good laugh about it, and maybe we can still be friends. _

Growing tried of the curious stares that she was garnering, Teela decided to take a shortcut through one of the guest wings. _Maybe, after a time, I can convince Adam's that I'm over him,_ she thought, with a strange combination of hope and sorrow. _Then we can go back to being good friends, like we used to be. If I keep living with Father and find a job in the city, I'd still be able to spend time with Adam. Or… maybe… just maybe… if I grovel enough… if I'm sorry enough… maybe he could learn to –_ The captain shook her head sharply, rubbing her eyes so hard with the heel of her hands that she nearly walked into a wall. _Stop it, Teela! _She commanded herself as she stumbled gracelessly around a corner. _You're getting ahead of yourself. First you have to make up for what you've already done. Adam always takes everything so much to heart. He's probably holed up in his room with the lights off. He might even be – _

Teela came to a dead halt. The prince wasn't in his chambers. He was standing not fifteen yards down the corridor. Standing, in fact, in the open doorway of the Queen of Mystacore's guest suite. And Castaspella was with him. Dumbstruck, Teela had only enough sense left to duck into an alcove before they saw her. Peering around the edge of the curtain, she watched in horrified silence as Adam lifted the Etherian witch's hands to his lips and kissed them each in turn. Castaspella's girlish giggle echoed down the long hall, seeming to fade far too slowly, and Teela found herself gritting her teeth. _Oh, yes, Adam's completely devastated, _she thought in wry fury. _I can see just how much I've really hurt him. Why, I've never seen him look so totally miserable! _

When the prince stepped into the wizardess' chambers, Teela could bear no more and dashed out of concealment, sprinting down the hallway lest she be spotted by one of the lovers. With her newfound speed, she made it to her own rooms in no time at all. She fought the lock, finally managed it, and bulled her way inside to collapse crying on a chair. How long she stayed there, alternately cursing the prince's name and bemoaning the fact that he didn't love her, she wasn't certain. But eventually nature's call, insensible to heartache, roused her from her mire and set her on her feet again. She emerged from her bathing chamber a half-hour later, clean, properly dressed in her uniform and determined not to shed a single tear more. She still had two hours to kill until her shift began, so Teela began to straighten up her rooms, an endless monologue monopolizing her thoughts.

Castaspella can have him. Let her deal with his flightiness, his cowardice, his unreliability, his immaturity. Let her wrestle with his willful disregard of his duty as a prince of Eternia. _Yes, _she thought. _That's the way to look at it. Good riddance to him. I'll get past this. I'll get over him. I can't imagine what I ever saw in him. He-Man is a hundred times the man that he is, a thousand times the warrior._

And then, shifting a pile of laundry off her bed, Teela saw it, a large bundle wrapped in brown paper, sitting on her bedside table, propped against the wall. It was a meter tall, two-thirds of a meter wide and at least a decimeter thick. _Adam's present._ Unbidden, her feet carried her closer, and, before she quite knew what was happening, the package was laid out on the bed, and her hands were tearing at the paper. _He was so eager for me to see this._ Beneath the paper was a protective layer of muslin and beneath that... a painting in a frame.

Two children, one tow-headed, the other with hair the color of flame, were sitting on a log in meadow, their arms around each others' shoulders, their faces raised to the sky overhead, the smiles on their faces as dazzling as the sun that shone down upon them. Teela remembered that camping trip. Somewhere, in fact, she had this very image preserved in a holocube. Her own father had taken the picture. Adam… well, he must have had the painting done from that original image. Her eyes strayed downward, searching for the artist's signature. When she found, all the breath went out of her at once. It was signed simply, "Adam." He'd painted it himself, with his own hands.

Overwhelmed, Teela gaped at his neat autograph. She hadn't even known he could paint. But this dual portrait was quite good. Not a master work perhaps, but it was lively, full of light, and happiness and love. And, it must have taken him weeks to complete it. Swallowing hard, she let her eyes roam over the frame, a glistening dark wood, relief carved with a forest motif. She ran her hands alone the edges of the frame, feeling the leaves and trees, the animals and birds. Then, absently, she turned it over and discovered an inscription written in Adam's hand upon the back.

_Of all the gifts you have given me,_

_It is the joy of your friendship_

_I treasure most,_

_And the sound of your laughter_

_I carry in my heart. _

For a moment the room spun dizzyingly as Teela forgot to breathe. Then, with a strangled cry, she let the painting fall back to the mattress and dashed from the room. She had to find him. She had to tell him everything. She had to tell how she felt… before it was too late. She raced to the prince's rooms, knocked on the door, then pounded when there was no answer. In the end, believing that he might be hiding from her, Teela used her own security codes to break into the room. But he was not there. She hurried next to Queen Castaspella suite, knowing the humiliation she courted and not caring in the slightest. Once there, she wasted no time on knocking, but used her codes to enter the suite straightway. But the wizardess and her prince were not there. The rooms were empty, devoid of any sign that they'd every housed a guest, in fact.

"Where are you?" Teela begged, her plea unheard by any save herself.

Cursing, she ran from Castaspella's bed chamber only to find herself confronted by a servant when she reached the outer sitting room. "Oh, Mistress Teela," the girl cried with a small squeal of nervousness. "You startled me." She placed a hand melodramatically over her heart, and gazed at the captain with wide eyes.

Her patience strained to the breaking point, Teela grabbed the girl by the shoulders and just stopped herself from shaking the creature. "Where are they?"

"Who?"  
"Castaspella and Adam! Where are they?"

Trembling, her pupils huge, the girl stammered out, "They're departing from the practice courtyard, Mistress. They should be leaving at any moment."

Heart racing faster than her feet, Teela released the hapless servant and ran for the courtyard. _NO! _she screamed. _NO! He's can't be gone! Not to Etheria! Not with her! Elders and Ancients, please! _She must have looked quite mad, for courtiers and servants alike scattered before her. When at last she turned down the final corridor, she saw only a small party waiting ahead – King Randor and Queen Marlena, Princess Adora, Orko and Cringer – no doubt there to see them off. She had no breath left for shouting, but she ran as fast as her feet would carry her, rushing toward that sunlit courtyard. As she neared it, she saw Cringer walk over to stand beside Adam. Then, when Teela was still a good five meters away and hidden in the shadows of the hall, the wizardess took Adam's hand in hers, placed her other hand upon Cringer's furry green head, and they vanished in the blink of an eye.

There was a strangely weightless sensation in Adam's stomach, as if were falling from some high place. It was nothing at all like traveling through one of the Sorceress of Grayskull's portals. For one thing, during those journeys, the prince was aware of his surroundings, even if they were a bit chaotic. When you stepped into a portal, you didn't simply step out again on the other side. The Sorceress had once explained to him that it was like walking through a long, underwater tunnel. The portals were merely the doors on each end of the tunnel. Traveling to another world under Castaspella's control, however, was an entirely different experience.

The world around him was utterly black. Not the darkness of a nighttime sky or a closed room, but truly and completely black. He couldn't even see his own body, and only the slight queasiness of his stomach reassured him that it was still there. But what this mode of transportation lacked in visual stimuli, it more than made up for in an overabundance of sound.

It was great deal like standing in the middle of a hurricane, with whole buildings flashing past… except Adam could feel no wind. There was also a rhythmic thumping that sounded somewhat like a drum and echoed all around them. Them, of course, being a relative term since the prince couldn't actually tell if the queen of Mystacore was still standing beside him or not. He suppressed a twinge of nervousness – _Casta would never abandon me in a place like this – _and concentrated on his breathing. Unfortunately, it was about that moment that it occurred to him to wonder if there was any air in this strange never land.

Just when he was on the verge of true panic, the world popped back into place around him with the sudden force of a blow. Adam slumped to his knees, breathing hard, his heart pounding a sharp tattoo in his breast. _That's what that drum sound was, _he realized. _It was my own heart. I wonder if the hurricane was my breathing?_ A small, strained laugh escaped his lips, and he covered his face with his hands.

"Oh, Adam, my darling, I'm so sorry," Castaspella said worriedly, dropping to her knees beside him. "I should have warned you. Traveling the ether sometimes takes people this way, especially if they've never done it before. Should I fetch the physician? Can I get you some honeyed tea? What about a hot water bottle, or would you prefer – "

Adam got to his feet without displacing the wizardess' hold on his arm. Smiling wanly down at her, he said, "I'll be fine in moment, Casta. I don't need a physician, I would like some tea, and I can't imagine _where_ I'd put a hot water bottle. I feel as if I've been swimming around in an arctic lake, cold and shivery all over."

Slipping her arms all the way around his waist, Castaspella smiled mischievously up at him. "Well, then, we'd better see what we can do to get you warmed up," she purred. Pulling back, she produced a steaming cup of tea out of thin air, handed it to him and took him by his free hand. "You need a long, hot bath."

Looking around him, Adam saw that he was standing in middle of an enormous bedroom. There were five doors scattered across the room, all of them closed. A collection of softly upholstered chairs was gathered around a fireplace on one wall. Opposite it was the largest bed the prince had ever seen. Situated on a raised platform, the bed was round and easily twice as wide as his own bed at home. The linens were the deep, rich color of old gold, and the creamy white canopy that hung over the bed was trimmed with thread of gold. There was an overabundance of pillows of all shapes and sizes in shades from dark rose to a faint blush. Garlands of pink roses climbed the bedposts like trellises and wound around the frame of the canopy.

It was the frothiest, most inherently female confection that Adam had ever seen, and he was struck by an overwhelming comprehension of just whose room he was standing in. "Are these," he cleared his throat. "Are these your chambers?"

Castaspella nodded, and started to draw him toward one the doors. "Now, let's get you that bath."

"Not here!" he protested shrilly. "Surely not here!" He knew he was being ridiculously modest considering that he'd all but promised to spend his life with this woman… but he'd never had a lover before and it was all dreadfully embarrassing.

_What will the servants think? What will the courtiers think? Has Casta brought lovers home with her before? _It was an unsettling thought. He knew she wasn't a virgin as he had been, and he certainly didn't hold that against her, but the idea of being one in a string of her inamoratos was distressing.

The wizardess laughed her tinkling, bell-like laugh and leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment. "No, darling, not here. Your own quarters are just down the hall from mine. It was simply easier for me to bring us here because I know these rooms so well." Her eyes twinkled as she said, "Besides, I wanted our first few moments in Mystacore to be private ones. I'm sure you can understand why."

Adam opened his mouth to reply, but before he could say a word, she was kissing him. It was amazing just how many different ways to smooch there really were. For this time was nothing like either of the previous occasions on which she had kissed him. It was playful, heart-rending and intensely possessive all at once. After one startled moment, Adam kissed her back, eagerly joining in her frenzy while trying to keep the tea cup from spilling. The bath would have to wait.

Idly kicking at a scuff mark on the hallway floor, Adora contemplated life at the Eternian court without Adam. It was certain to be both boring and nerve-racking, a bad combination overall. Without her brother there to guide her behavior, the princess knew that she would make an endless series of mistakes. Eventually, irritation would win out over parental affection, and her mother and father would become genuinely annoyed with her for the first time in her life.

Adora was not looking forward to that.

Nor was she looking forward to having to explain to Seahawk exactly why it was that she had to remain on Eternia. She couldn't, in all conscience, tell him She-Ra's secret, so he'd have to settle for royal obligation, and he was bound to choke on that. She could just hear the bitingly sarcastic comments now. _I hope Adam realizes how much I love him, to do this. _She sighed. _I owe my dear brother so much. I just hope Castaspella can make him happy. If only Teela hadn't been so frightfully obtuse. If only she hadn't behaved like such a shrew. She must be blind. All of them are… utterly blind._

She was so lost in her own thoughts that, before she even knew it, she'd arrived back at her own rooms. Going inside, she continued to run over one nightmare scenario after another. The image of her fathering yelling, "You're a coward just like your brother!" was particularly distasteful.

"Adora?" The word was a half croaked, half sobbed.

The princess' head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise. Teela, the captain of the Eternian guard, was sitting on a couch in Adora's sitting room, crying into her drawn up knees. Her eyes were swollen with crying, and her cheeks flared red. She did not present a pretty picture, and the princess' heart went out to Teela despite the captain's typical pig-headedness.

"Teela, are you all right?" she asked, going over to sit beside the other woman.

The captain turned a teary-eyed gaze on her. "Does he love Castaspella?"

Adora blinked furiously for a moment, shock emptying her mind of all thought. Teela apparently took her stupefaction for reticence, for she grabbed Adora's hand. "Please tell me!" she begged. "Please! I have to know! You're his sister! His twin! I know he'd tell you how he really felt! Please!"

Giving herself a little shake, the princess said, "I'm not certain. I know he's very fond of her, but I'm not sure that even he would call it love yet." Teela made a choking little sob and jerked away. Adora let her cry for a few seconds while she battled with her own conscience. "I – I know he has feelings for you as well, Teela."

The captain's sobs broke off as if throttled. She raised her head and locked gazes with Adora, staring fixedly into the princess' eyes with a look of such intense, half-mad desperation that Adora genuinely feared for the other woman's sanity.

"He has feelings for me? He told you?"

With a tremendous sigh, Adora said, "Yes, he told me. In fact, he once told me that he loved you. He said you were the only woman that he could imagine spending his life with. But that was before – "

"Before Castaspella!" Teela snarled, leaping to her feet and beginning to pace the room. "How dare she pursue him in this way! How dare she love him! How dare she see what a – "

"Wonderful man he is?" Adora finished for her. Teela stopped in mid-pace and seemed to deflate as she nodded sadly.

"Now I've lost him… " Standing in the middle of the room, her bedraggled hair hanging loosely around her head and shoulders, Teela began to cry once more. She buried her face in her hands, not so much trying to stifle the sobs as trying to block out the all too painful world that surrounded her.

Teela's muscles all seemed to let go at once and she dropped to her knees, crying out her broken heart. _Couldn't she have figured this out a little sooner? _Adora thought tiredly. She felt for the other woman, but there was also a certain karmic justice in it all, considering how much pain Teela had caused Adam over the years. The captain had earned her pain as far as Adora was concerned. Unfortunately, that didn't stop the princess from feeling sorry for her. Worse, hurting Teela would hurt Adam, since Adora knew very well that her twin was still desperately in love with the fiery captain of the guard.

_My nieces and nephews are going to be overly sensitive, hot-tempered scholars who commit serious mayhem on the battlefield. What an interesting life these two are going to have as parents. Mother should enjoy watching them flounder while Father tries to offer sage advice. Ah, well…_

Dropping to her own knees beside Teela, the princess put her arm around the other woman's back. "It's not too late, Teela. They're not married yet."

"But, by the time they come back from Mystacore, if he even comes back at all… "

Adora ground her teeth, trying to suppress her aggravation. "_So go after him… now!_"

"But how?"

"I'm fairly certain that, if you ask her nicely, the Sorceress of Grayskull would be willing to create a portal to Etheria for you. How do you think Adam gets there when he comes to visit me?"

"I've never been to Etheria," Teela said thoughtfully, clearly considering the notion. "I wouldn't know my way around, but if I was to go straight to Mystacore, all I'd have to do is find Castaspella's castle."

"That's true. Or, if the Sorceress sends you to the Whispering Woods, you could ask one of the rebels to show you the way. They're all extraordinarily fond of Adam, so I'm sure you'd have no trouble at all finding a guide."

"Still," Teela moaned. "I've made such a hash of things. What if he won't see me? What if they got married the minute they got there? What if… what if he just doesn't love me anymore?"

The princess gave Teela's shoulders a small squeeze. "There's only one way to find out. So why don't you – " Before she could even begin to enumerate her suggestions, Teela was up and moving. She dashed out of the princess' chambers, leaving a startled Adora sitting on the floor, her shirt damp with the other woman's tears.

_Typically impetuous, _she reflected. _I've done all I can. The rest is up to them. _She chuckled. _If Teela does manage to win him back, their lives will never be dull._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Castaspella was caught up in their kissing, lost in the silky feel of Adam's hair as she ran her fingers through it. When Adam's hand trailed down her back and lower still, she moaned and arched into his body. But then, just when things were looking very promising, Adam broke off the kiss and jerked away, turning his back on her. One hand over his heart, the other held lightly over his mouth, Adam drew in long shuddering breaths.

As stunned as if he'd just slapped her, the wizardess gazed helplessly at his back for a moment as she struggled to regain her composure. When she thought she could trust her voice again, she said, "Adam?"

Giving his head a little shake as if clearing it, Adam turned around and smiled rather neutrally at her. The blandness in his smile alarmed her, and Castaspella found herself wondering if he was regretting his decision to come to Etheria with her.

"I'm… tired," he said tentatively.

Relief washed over her like a tidal wave. "Of course you are," she exclaimed. "Neither of us got any sleep last night, and it's been quite a hectic morning." Reaching out and taking his hands in hers, the wizardess began to draw him toward the bed. "Why don't we just take a little nap? Then, when we're both feeling more rested, I can show you around the castle."

Adam nodded, but he dug in his feet and stopped moving toward the bed. "Where's my room?" he asked, still in that incredibly neutral tone, though the smile on his face was friendly enough.

"Your room?" Castaspella repeated forlornly. "Oh, well, I thought… " She trailed off, finding it inexplicably difficult to explain what she'd 'thought.' _Why can you just stay in here? With me?_

Seeming to sense her distressed confusion, Adam sighed and explained. "This is all just a little too fast for me, Casta. What we shared last night was truly amazing, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to act like we've been doing this for years."

The wizardess nodded reluctant understanding.

"I need time, Casta. That's all. Besides, it's not like that's the only thing between us. Is it?" His eyes were very wide and very vulnerable.

"No! Of course not!" she declared, flushing with mortification. "I love you, Adam. All of you. Not just… that. I mean, not just – well, you know what I… _that._"

Adam grinned wryly at her, relieved by her protestations and apparently amused by her uncharacteristically missish behavior. He tweaked her nose, earning a playful slap, then asked once more where his room was.

"I'll put you in the Vernos Suite," she said, still laughing as she held him at bay while he attempted to have another go at her nose. Then, abruptly, she realized that one of her guests was missing. "Where's Cringer?" she demanded in some alarm. "I know he made it here with us…"

"He slipped out almost the instant we arrived," Adam said, shrugging. "He always likes to explore new places right away. I'm never sure if it's because he's trying to protect me or if he's just searching out the best hiding spots in case there's trouble."

Castaspella laughed. "I'm really quite fond of Cringer. He may be timid, but he's quite fierce when you're in danger."

"He definitely has unplumbed depths," Adam agreed warmly. _There's more of Battlecat in my poor Cringer than he'd care to admit._

The Vernos Suite, it seemed, had been named for an infamous dragon that spent centuries terrorizing the people of Mystacore before befriending one of Castaspella's distant ancestors and joining in that king's battle against the evil warlord Pengrath. As such, the suite was decorated with tapestries, paintings, statues and frescoes of the dragon, Vernos by name. What made it all just a little irregular was that fact that some of the images depicted Vernos as a monster while other portrayed him as a great hero. The fresco that adorned the bedchamber's ceiling was an idealized depiction of the moment of the Battle of Sleeg Forest when Vernos saved the king of Mystacore. Yet, in one particularly magnificent tapestry, that same dragon was shown preparing to devour a bevy of beautiful maidens while fighting off the villagers who'd come to save them. Adam snorted. Of course the maidens would be beautiful. Woman about to be consumed by dragons always were.

There was a statue of Vernos rearing beside the brocade-curtained bed. It was about the same size as Cringer, and Adam was suddenly filled with dire forebodings of his companion's reaction to this aggressively decorated suite of rooms. The prince was fairly certain that the only reason Castaspella had chosen this suite for him was its proximity to her own chambers.

_She isn't going to be happy with 'no' for an answer very long,_ Adam thought with a heartfelt sigh. _You'd better get your head on straight, boy, before she gets tired of your moping and decides to find someone else. Then where would you be?_

Deliberately pushing all thoughts of Castaspella, Teela, romance and… intercourse from his mind, Adam spent some time unpacking his belongings and then lay down for a much needed nap. While he could somewhat successfully push the loves of his life from his thoughts, he could not eject them from his dreams, and his sojourn in the land of slumber was not a peaceful one.

When he finally awoke four hours later, a covered lunch tray was sitting on a table across from the bed, and a large Eternian tiger was laying across his legs, snoring. He tried to slip out from under Cringer without waking him and failed miserably. The great cat rolled over, looking sleepy and disgruntled, got his paws under him, and padded up the bed to sit beside Adam.

"I miss, Teela," he said with a tremendous yawn. "She always slips me extra fish at breakfast."

Teela landed her skysled at the end of the ribbed land bridge that connected Castle Grayskull, in the center of its abyss, to the rest of the forest that surrounded it. She ran across the bridge, the heels of her boots clicking on the hard, green stone, and stopped just short of the raised drawbridge.

"Sorceress," she called. "Sorceress, I need to talk to you."

She expected an immediate response. After all, the winged guardian of Grayskull had always been there for her when Teela needed her. At any moment, the drawbridge would lower, and the Sorceress herself would appear. She would be consoling and helpful. No doubt the older woman would be outraged on Teela's behalf and anxious to help the young warrior retrieve the man she loved. Teela knew this. Knew it in her bones.

But the castle remained starkly silent.

Raising her eyes to one of the tower windows far overhead, Teela yelled, "Sorceress! Please answer me!"

When there was still no answer, Teela walked closer and rapped on the wood of the drawbridge with her closed fist. But still there was no answer. Again and again she struck the door, pounding it in complete and total desperation.

"Sorceress, please! I need your help badly! I must – " She broke off, her own voice choking her as she fought not to break down, here of all places. "I must get to Etheria! I have to find Adam! Sorceress!"

A flock of birds flew high overhead, calling out to each other as they skimmed through the sun-filled sky. Teela looked up at them, squinting against the light. _What will I do?_ she wondered. _Ancients, what will I do?_

Her hands pressed flat against the still closed drawbridge, Teela dropped her forehead to the hard, cold wood. She no longer tried to stop the tears that fell from her clenched eyes. What was the point? If the Sorceress would not help her…

Teela dropped to her knees, burying her face in her hands. "Why won't you help me?" she whispered hoarsely. "I thought you cared."

How much time passed before she rose to her feet and walked away from the drawbridge, Teela could not say, but the sun had moved a great distance in the sky. Her face dry and her heart numb, Teela climbed onto the seat of her skysled. She pressed the ignition, and… nothing happened. She blinked, depressed the ignition again, and still nothing happened.

"You can't be serious!" she shrieked, punching the button repeatedly. "Start! Blast it, start!" She slapped her palms against the handlebars three times, pressed the ignition one last time, then hopped off the skysled.

Howling in rage, she kicked the offending vehicle until her toes felt bruised in her boots. _Why? Why me? Why! What did I do to deserve this? What did I do to deserve Castaspella? Why couldn't she have stayed on Etheria where she belonged? Why did Adora ever have to bring that woman here!_

When she lost her balance during one particularly vigorous kick, Teela fell on her backside. With a frustrated whimper, she pulled her knees up to her chest, crossed her arms over them, and dropped her forehead onto her folded arms. Grayskull wouldn't let her in, and the skysled wouldn't let her go home. She simply could not win. It was as if the whole of the world were conspiring against her, all of Eternia working in concert to keep her separated from the man she loved. The whole benighted planet stood between her and –

"Teela?"

The captain looked up sharply, startled to find Orko hovering a couple of meters in front of her. The Trollan's ears were raised high and pointing aggressively forward. His eyes were wide, his pupils enormous.

"Gee, Teela, are you all right?" the little jester asked, floating over to her. "You're not hurt, are you?"

The captain shook her head disgustedly. "No," she said wryly. "My skysled won't start, and I can't get into Grayskull. I was beginning to think I was going to have to walk home."

Orko blinked repeatedly, and one of his ears twitched. "But, couldn't you call the palace on your comlink? Man-At-Arms would send someone to pick you up."

"Ohhh," Teela groaned and thumped her head back on her arms. "I am a complete idiot," she grumbled. "This just tops it all."

Dipping still lower, the jester patted her gently on the shoulder. "You're not dumb, Teela. You're Man-At-Arms' daughter, after all, and you're one of the smartest people I know."

She peered up at him, feeling utterly pathetic, and said nothing. Orko looked around, and saw that nothing even moderately exciting was happening anywhere nearby. "Ummm, Teela, what are you doing here, anyway? Was there an attack on Grayskull?"

"No," she said, taking a deep breath, determined not to cry again.

"Oh?"

Teela wrestled with herself for a moment, debating whether or not to unload her pathetic problems on the slim shoulders of her Trollan friend. Finally, misery won out over embarrassment and she began a babbling explanation.

"I wanted to see the Sorceress! Gate! I wanted her to make a gateway! For me! To get to Etheria! Adam… " She ground her teeth. "That trollop and Adam went to Etheria together! I've lost him! I lose him if I don't tell him how I feel! I've got to – but the Sorceress won't – and the drawbridge just – it's all too much to – WHAT DO I DO?"

Orko backed a meter away, his ears flattening to the brim of his hat as Teela ranted and wailed. When she was done, however, he immediately came back over and gave her a gentle hug.

"It'll be okay, Teela. Don't worry."

"But I've lost him," she sobbed. "And with the Sorceress not answering me – "

"Ah, but you don't need her," Orko said cheerfully. "I can send you to Etheria any time you want!"

"You," the captain gasped, horrified by the very thought of Orko controlling a dimensional portal. "But, your magic always… I mean, it isn't powerful enough, is it?" She shuddered as she contemplated the mayhem that Orko could commit with an interworld gateway.

"Not normally," he agreed. "But there's a special way that Dree-Elle and I worked out so we could visit each other. I can make it work for you too." He bounced in the air for a moment.

Teela's thoughts spun dizzyingly. To trust to Orko's magic for something so serious was lunacy. But, to do nothing would be far worse, for it would mean giving up Adam's love – forever. For several unnaturally long seconds, Teela contemplated her options and came up blank. Orko was her only choice and her only chance.

"Let's do it," she said, standing abruptly. "Right away."

Adora was curled up in a corner of the sofa in her sitting room, reading a surprisingly funny book on court etiquette when there was peremptory knock on her door. Eyebrows climbing, the princess set the book down and rose to answer the door. To her surprise, Man-At-Arms was waiting for her on the other side. Before she could even say hello, he began firing questions at her.

"Did you know about Adam's plan to go to Etheria? When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me? What the devil were the two of you thinking?"

"Wha – ?"

"You are NOT interchangeable! You can't just decide that you'll switch planets!"

Adora's eyes widened to their fullest extent as she leaned out, holding onto the edge of the doorjam and searched the corridor beyond the Master to make certain that no one was within range to overhear their conversation. "Duncan!" she hissed through gritted teeth. "This isn't the place!"

"And where, may I ask, is Teela?" he continued as if she'd never spoken at all. "I won't believe for one moment that she willingly went with Adam and Castaspella to Mystacore. So where is she!"

"I don – "

"If she's gone chasing after that boy, I swear I'll… I'll… I don't know WHAT I'll do! How could he do this to Teela? How could you HELP him? Why? Just tell me why!"

Swallowing nervously, stung by the anger she saw in the tense lines of Duncan's face, Adora dropped her own gaze to the floor. "I think you know why, Man-At-Arms. You and I both know that Adam has loved Teela since he was a boy. She's put him through every kind of hell. If she waited too long to figure out how she feels, well, I could say that's just too bad for her."

"Adora! I… you… I thought – "

"But I won't say it," the princess said, peeking up at the Master through her lashes. "Because I happen to know that Adam still loves Teela, even if he doesn't know it himself anymore. That's why I suggested that she go see the Sorceress and – "

Duncan ripped his helmet off with a frantic swipe and began to rub his forehead. "But I just spoke to the Sorceress, and she hasn't seen Teela! She said that Teela came to see her about three hours ago, but she didn't let her into Castle Grayskull. She said that Teela gave up and left after a short – "

"What?" Adora demanded. "Why didn't she let Teela in? She was supposed to _help _her! Why would she turn away her own dau – uh, I mean one of her friends?"

Man-At-Arms' jaw dropped open at the princess' slip of the tongue, and he went shockingly pale as the blood drained from his face. "How do you… by the Elders! Adam swore he'd never tell a soul, but you… "

"He didn't tell me, Man-At-Arms. I figured it out on my own because I'm not blind," she hastened to reassure him. "Adam would never break a confidence in such a way. I asked the Sorceress directly, and she admitted the truth. She swore me to secrecy as well. You and Adam are the only ones who I'm allowed to discuss it with."

Duncan sighed long and hard, then looked imploringly at the princess. "But that still doesn't tell us where Teela is now."

"I'm sorry, Man-At-Arms. I don't know anything more."

"Fine, fine. I'll find her," he said, putting his helmet back on. "Once I make sure that she's all right, you and I need to talk. This swap that you and Adam have made is not necessarily going to work, but now I've no choice but to help you all I can. And you are going to need a _lot _of help… princess."

Adora gulped and smiled wanly as he turned away. Before he'd gone two steps, however, they were both arrested by the sight of Orko floating down the hall.

"Orko, have you seen Teela?" Man-At-Arms asked as he immediately walked up to the Trollan. The little jester stopped in midair and turned a wide-eyed stare on the chief of the Masters. When he grabbed the hem of his robe and started wringing it in his hands, the princess knew that something was up.

"Orko?" Man-At-Arms demanded, sounding as suspicious as Adora felt.

Stepping forward, Adora put a hand on the Trollan's thin shoulder. "Orko, do you know something you aren't telling us? Is something wrong with Teela?"

Man-At-Arms turned an alarmed gaze on them both, and his anxiety only grew as the jester hemmed and hawed. "Well, not wrong, precisely… "

Teela spun through darkness, nausea gnawing at her gut. After the first few kaleidoscopic seconds, she'd squeezed her eyes tightly shut, cutting off the whirling, surreal colors and shapes that assaulted her mind. She must have been mad to trust Orko when he said he could send her to Etheria. But what choice had she been given? The Sorceress wouldn't answer her call, and the captain had no time to wait. No time to _waste_!

Suddenly, the wild, dizzying ride stopped and Teela could feel a gentle, salt breeze blowing across her face. She opened her eyes, saw blue sky extending to the horizon, and heaved a sigh of relief. That was when gravity kicked in.

She plummeted toward the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but the fall sucked the air from her lungs, and she couldn't even make a squeak. Not knowing how far above the earth she was nor what was beneath her, she could only force her body into a limp tumbling position and pray for the best.

She hit with enough force to drive the last of the breath from her lungs before a swirling vortex of saltwater closed over her head. Every muscle shrieking with indescribable pain, Teela forced her limbs to spread out, trying to slow her descent, but she plunged onward. How deep was the water here? How far down could she sink and still be able to make it back to the air far overhead?

Lungs burning in her chest, Teela struggled to orient herself to the world above the water. Opening her eyes, blinking against the stinging salt-water, she looked up at the slowly darkening surface far overhead. Then, just when she thought she'd never hit bottom, one of her legs scraped painfully against something hard and sharp. The captain only just managed to stifle a gasp as she jerked instinctively away from the contact. An instant later, her feet hit a soft, shifting sea floor. She slipped to her knees, her head swimming from lack of oxygen while the rest of her sank into a crumpled pile. She was dimly aware of ocean life darting away in every direction, raising enormous clouds of sand. Then, gathering her strength, she straightened her arms over her head, hands pointing toward the air far above, and pushed off.

She shot upward for a few swift meters, then began to slow. Scissor-kicking with all her might, she swam doggedly onward. Her vision was darkening despite the increasing brightness of the water around her, and Teela knew she was running out of time. _Not like this! Not now! Ancient, please! Adam needs me! I need… I…_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Castaspella rolled over in bed and arched her back in a long, intense stretch. "Mmmm," she said, apropos of nothing in particular save a general contentment with the world. The previous night hadn't gone quite as she might have wished, thanks to Adam's sudden attack of nerves, but it was still a more than reasonable start. He was certainly a quick study where kissing and cuddling were concerned. For a supposed innocent, the prince of Eternia had a fiery flare for love making. Just thinking about the feel of his hands on her skin make the Etherian queen's spine tingle in a thoroughly decadent way.

With those happy thoughts driving her, the queen of Mystacore found it not at all difficult to rouse herself from her bed. In a the span of an hour she was bathed, groomed, coifed and dressed in a manner that would catch any gentleman's eye. All that remained was to track down _her _darling prince and make sure that he was settling in all right.

She found Adam eating breakfast on a terrace that overlooked Mystican Forest. A rolled jelly pastry in hand, he stood at the edge of patio, leaning on a stone balustrade and gazing out over the abyss that surrounded the castle and at the woods beyond. At the sound of her footsteps, the prince turned and graced her with a becomingly shy smile.

"Fair morning, my love," she called. Hurrying to his side, Castaspella placed her hands lightly on his waist, closed her eyes, and tilted her head up to give him a proper greeting. When her good morning kiss landed on Adam's cheek instead of his lips, the wizardess opened her eyes and pulled back in surprise. The prince had turned his head, dodging her kiss, and he remained that way, utterly motionless, save for the flush that crept up his neck, until she pulled an arm's length away.

Feeling both hurt by his rebuff and appalled by her own brazenness, Castaspella put a sharp reign on her own more amorous inclinations and strolled over to the breakfast table where several covered dishes still bore more than enough food to supply her morning needs. When she began to make a plate, Adam followed after her and resumed his seat at the table. For several long seconds neither of them spoke a word. Then, clearing his throat noisily, the prince ventured to make some reasonably neutral small talk.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, reaching out to pour her a glass of citrus juice.

"Yes, very. Not that I didn't enjoy seeing Eternia, but it's always nice to be in one's own bed."

Adam grinned. "Believe me, I understand completely. Not that my rooms here aren't wonderful!" he added hastily when she gave him a wide-eyed look of alarm.

_Calm yourself girl! _she admonished herself. _He's a mature, grown man. He's not going to run off home because he's been struck by a bout of home sickness. It was chatter… nothing more. _

"And, ummm, is Cringer settling in all right?"

For some mysterious reason, this innocent question caused the prince's flush to spread all the way to his hairline. Castaspella blinked in surprise as he dropped his eyes to the table and began spooning food onto a plate in a jerky manner.

"Fine. He's fine," Adam assured her as he poured syrup over another jam pastry. "He's a little homesick, I think. Though I can't imagine why. He's been to Etheria any number of times."

"But never to Mystacore," the wizardess noted, silently chastising herself for not taking more account of the Eternian tiger in her campaign to win her love's heart. Adam was utterly devoted to Cringer, very conscientious in regard to his pet's well being and happiness. It would not do to leave the tiger out of her plans, for the prince would never bear separation from his life-long friend. "Do you think he'd like to come sightseeing with us?"

Adam shrugged, still staring down at his plate, and Castaspella's nerves jangled with every movement of his fork across his plate. Then, just when she thought he'd relapsed into complete silence, he looked up, met her eyes and said, "I'm sorry."

"What for?" she gulped, swallowing against the panic that clenched at her stomach.

"For what happened earlier, when you tried to… you know."

"When I kissed you?" she blurted, stunned and a bit stung that he wouldn't even say the word.

"I was rude," he said softy.

"No, Adam, no, don't be ridiculous. I was being – well, I was – I was pushing you too quickly. That's all. You're under no obligation to kiss me, after all. Though I'll hardly complain if you do."

Eyes a little too wide to seem quite calm, Adam favored her with a tremulous smile. "I know I'm acting like some kind of prude – "

"No!" the wizardess announced, anxiously gripped the edge of the table. "You are no such thing! You're just… cautious. I understand completely. This is such a great deal of change to go through so suddenly. It's a wonder you haven't lost your temper with me entirely."

"I could never do that, Casta," the prince replied, a more natural grin gracing his lips and the twinkle reappearing in his beautiful eyes. "I'm just a little out of sorts. I'm sure it's just travel fatigue, a reaction to suddenly finding myself on a world where the sun is rising when my body thinks it should be setting. It'll pass."

"Yes, of course," she hastily agreed, thoroughly reassured by the return of Adam's good humor. She couldn't help wondering why he'd never mentioned suffering from travel sickness of any kind before, but if he said it was only fatigue, it would be churlish of her to pursue the matter. "Do you want to rest today? I have many duties that need performing, so if you wished to be left alone… "

Adam rose to his feet and came around the side of the table to face her. Taking her hands in his, he lifted Castaspella to her own feet and placed a tender and tantalizingly brief kiss upon her lips. "I think that's a wonderful idea," he whispered. "I do feel wrung out, and Cringer is being awfully cranky. I think we both need time to adjust to the local schedule."

The wizardess nodded, not daring to speak for fear the pounding her heart might be heard in her stuttering words.

"Will you join me for dinner later?" he said, smiling mischievously. "I wouldn't want to go to the whole day without seeing you again." Castaspella nodded. "Good," he said, but he left the breakfast table without kissing her a second time.

Teela was lying on a hard, smooth, slightly sloped surface that shook every time someone walked by. There was also an omnipresent whining vibration that quickly had her clenching her teeth in annoyance. But that wasn't the worst of it. Her arms were folded under her in a decidedly uncomfortable position, and the sun that beat down on her face left her with no real desire to open her eyes. There was a throbbing pain in her right leg, and whoever was pounding on her head with the club was a dead man just as soon as she could get her hands on him. Teela reached up to rub her aching temples and discovered to her chagrin that her arms would no longer move easily. Something bound them tightly together at the wrist. Whatever form they took, the manacles were a heavy and bulky weight pressing into the small of her back. Stifling a groan, the captain cracked her eyes opened and squinted up at hot, blue-white sky.

The light stung her eyes and she blinked against the bright rays. Turning her head to the side, she saw that she was lying on a white, plastic bench of some kind. It was too short for her to stretch out completely and her legs were bent at the knees. The scent of salt air was still strong in her nostrils, and Teela realized abruptly that the surface on which she lay was the molded, built-in rear seat of a small boat. A moving boat. She was also still wet, water trickling from her damp hair and across her forehead to land on the seat beneath her. Turning her head in the other direction she saw something that made her abruptly and furiously nostalgic for home and the simple pleasures of fighting Skeletor and his odious minions.

Troopers.

Horde troopers.

She was prisoner of the Evil Horde.

_Why me? Why now? Why didn't I just tell him that I loved him years ago! I am such an idiot!_

There were two troopers standing at what appeared to be the steering controls, and another trooper farther up the boat manning some kind of weapon that looked like a high-tech harpoon launcher. While she watched, a light began to flash on the control panel, and the shorter of the two Horde soldiers stationed there reached down and detached what looked like comlink from the board.

The sound coming through the controls was surprisingly distorted by static. Teela's brows knit in disgust. Considering the size and supposed power of the "Great Horde" she would have expected them to possess better technology. Of course this was Etheria, and the Horde had left Hordak in charge of this world. Considering that, it wouldn't surprise her at all if all the technology they sent to Etheria was as substandard as the man they'd left in charge.

"Squadron eight, report," the voice on the comlink said, barely intelligible through the distortion. "What is your status?"

"Squadron eight reporting, sir. We have finished our patrol of the southern sector and are beginning – "

With a disgusted snort, the taller of the two troopers grabbed the comlink out of Shortie's hand. "Tell General Reaver, we've captured a rebel spy! We caught her in the act of attempting to sabotage our survey mission!"

_Sabotage! _Teela ground her teeth in exasperation. _I don't even know how I wound up on this ship!_

For several seconds there was no sound from the comlink but the crackling static of the open channel, then a new, deeper voice spoke in elegant tones. "Excellent work, trooper. Forget the rest of your patrol, and bring her to the cruiser right now. I'd like to speak with this rebel."

"Yes, General! Right away, sir!"

Bossy deactivated the comlink and returned it to the control panel. Horde armor was all encompassing and Teela couldn't see his face, but his entire manner was overbearing and smug. _Wonderful, I'm a trophy. And I'm not even a rebel spy! Not that the Horde will care one way or the other as long as they can claim they captured someone. I don't have time for this! I have to find Adam before he marries Castaspella! I swear, the second I get my hands out of these cuffs those troopers are TOAST!_

Though she was unaware of doing so, she must have made some noise, because one of the troopers at the controls turned and looked back at her over his shoulder. Caught by surprise, all Teela could do was stare at him, wide eyed, while wishing that she'd been able to play dead just a bit longer. Being stared at by an expressionless, metal mask was disconcerting, and Teela found her supply of witty comebacks unexpectedly dry.

Since he knew she was awake anyway, Teela decided she might as well sit up and make herself more comfortable, but she quickly discovered that he ankles had also been shackled together. "Oh for – " She ground her teeth together while she fought to control her anger. The Ancients only knew how often her temper and sharp tongue had gotten her into trouble. How many countless diplomatic missions had nearly been scotched by her volatility and only saved by a judicious application of Prince Adam's smile at its charming best? Even her current predicament, Horde troopers and all, could be attributed to her temper. After all, if she'd been kinder to Adam, he would never have run off with Castaspella.

"We should question her," Bossy said, derailing her train of thought.

"But the general wants us to bring her straight to the cruiser," Shortie noted anxiously.

Bossy was silent for a moment, still staring fixedly at Teela, then he said, "Yeah, but there's no rule that says we can't interrogate her on the way there."

"I don't know. General Reaver might not like it," Shortie said, clearly nervous. Teela fixed her gaze on him, wondering if his reluctance stemmed from fear of his superior's disapproval or some more noble reluctance to interrogate a woman by the accepted Horde protocols.

"But if we get useful information out of her, it could mean a promotion," Bossy argued, sounding more eager than ever. "Let's give it a shot."

_Uh oh…_

"Now, boys, can't we talk about this reasonably?" Teela stammered as the troopers loomed over her, Shortie hanging back behind Bossy and fidgeting with one of the joins of his uniform. He looked decided uncomfortable as he shrugged his shoulders and the great metal breastplate shifted from side to side like, slapping awkwardly into his neck.

_If I can just get undone, I can take that one out in five seconds or less. As for Bossy… Adam is always sweet talking his way out of problems. It's worth a shot._

"Listen, fella, you're going to be in big trouble as soon as I get these cuffs off! Now untie me or you'll be breathing out your toes!" Teela flinched. _What is wrong with me? I open my mouth, flummery on my tongue and insults come out! Too damn late now, though._

Bossy leaned over her, blocking out the sun, and Teela glared up at him, doing her best to look unworried and completely confident. Her nonchalance slipped a bit when he latched a hand onto the collar of her uniform and yanked her painfully upward, her legs dangling uselessly beneath her.

_Got to work on my fawning skills!_

"Where are the other rebels?" he demanded, giving her a shake. "You can't have come here alone. Where are they?"

_I'm not a rebel!_ Teela shrieked internally, though no sound would pass through her clenched teeth and her skull rattled painfully from side to side. _I just want to find Adam!_

"Well?" he shouted.

When she still didn't speak, he backhanded her, snapping her head to the side and splitting open her lip. Teela grunted, but kept her jaw tightly clenched, refusing to give Bossy the satisfaction of hearing her cry out in pain. In retaliation, the trooper placed his free hand on her throat, partially cutting off her ability to breathe. Her vision spiraled in and out of focus, and she was only dimly aware of Shortie moving around behind his more aggressive comrade, thumping his thigh repeatedly with his fist as he watched the show.

_Oxygen deprivation… twice. In an… hour… or less. Father… is going to… kill me._

Bossy released her throat and hauled his arm back to hit her again, but Shortie grabbed his arm before the blow could connect.

"Look!" the small trooper yelled, pointing at something in the air behind Teela. Bossy glanced up, a snarl still on his lips, than dropped her with a curse.

As she hit the floor, her legs complaining that they really weren't _supposed _to bend that way, Bossy was already running for the patrol boat's controls. Then, somehow, he and Shortie became intertwined in a clumsy tangle of limbs, and before Bossy could correct for the change in his momentum, he was plunging overboard. Water splashed up onto the deck as he broke the surface of the ocean, dripping into Teela's eyes and making them sting.

"Help!" Shortie yelled, flapping his arms wildly. "Man overboard! Hurry!"

The trooper manning the forward guns came running back to see what had happened.

Her sense of self-preservation kicking back in, Teela began to slither across the floor of the boat and as far away from the remaining troopers as possible. It was awkward and painful with her limbs bound as they were, but it was definitely preferable to being trampled. She heard loud another splash accompanied by a yowl of indignation, but without stopping to look back she couldn't see what was happening. When she'd at least put the molded bench on which she'd so recently been lying between her and the troopers, Teela twisted onto her back and sat up.

_I must be hallucinating._

Hanging in the air above the patrol boat was a ship, a large sailing ship, but with sails like none that the Eternian had ever seen before. Strangely, they appeared to be made of some sort of metal rather than cloth. Aside from that, there was nothing to indicate what was holding the vessel aloft. No propeller, no anti-grav unit, no balloons – nothing!

_A ghost ship? _"It can't be!"

As Teela watched with all the fascination of a rabbit trapped in place by a snake's shifty gaze, the ship slowly lowered itself to the ocean below, the keel slipping gently beneath the surface while waves lapped at the wooden hull. As it descended, men – real live men – came into view. They seemed to be deckhands, and not a few of them were staring back at her with equal interest.

"Are you all right, miss?"

Teela jumped, barely suppressing a scream as a metal-plated hand landed on her shoulder. Whipping her head around, she saw one of the troopers kneeling beside her. She wasn't certain, but she thought it was Shortie. "W-What?" she stuttered.

Releasing her shoulder, the trooper reached up and pulled at his helmet. For a moment it wouldn't budge and he wrestled with it in growing irritation. Then, with a tremendous grunt, he yanked it free and threw it to deck beside him. "How does anyone breathe in these things?" he demanded, drawing in great gulps of air. He had reddish-brown hair and a large nose, and he wasn't at all what Teela had expected a Horde Trooper to look like underneath the metal mask.

"Oh, beg your pardon, miss!" the trooper exclaimed, seeming to remember that he wasn't alone. "I should be helping you out of those awful cuffs instead of thinking about myself. Here, just let me find that key." That said, he began to rummage in the compartments of his uniform.

_Did I hit my head? _Teela wondered, as she gaped at the little man. "What kind of trooper are you?"

"Who? Me?" he asked, eyes wide as he produced the key. "Oh, I'm just sailor, miss. I'm not really a member of the Horde. Why, I hate the Horde!"

"Okay." There didn't seem to be anything else to say.

Leaning around her, the sailor fit the key into the cuffs behind her back and freed her wrists. Teela immediately pulled them forward, trying to rub feeling back into her abused arms and hands. "Thanks," she muttered, but the sailor just smiled and nodded and reached for her ankles.

There was a loud thump beside them, and the patrol boat rocked for a moment under the impact of a heavy weight. Looking up and squinting into the sun, Teela raised a hand to shade her eyes. A tall man with hair as red as her own and a beard that was equally fiery was staring down at her, his hands placed firmly on his hips.

"Well, Swen," he boomed scowling down at her. "Will she live?"

"Yes, Captain!" the sailor said, rising hastily to his feet and saluting before he'd finished freeing her ankles. "But she's had a horrible time, sir. I hate to think what might have happened if you hadn't been nearby. Just let me finish untying her ankles and – "

"No time, Swen," the man declared. Then he bent down, scooped Teela up before she could even think of a protest and tossed her over his shoulder. "The Horde could be on its way at this very moment. We set sail, now!"

Adam set a leisurely pace as they strolled through the Mystican Forest, leisurely even by Cringer's unusually rigid standards in this area. Unlike most of the forests that the prince had seen on Etheria, this one featured tall, thin trees of a bark so dark as to be almost black. A few lighter gray trees grew beneath the over-shadowing canopy high above, but even they were the color of slate and festooned with leaves of a deep burgundy that shone black in the shadows. Shafts of sunlight broke through, jumping about the bracken floor as the wind moved through the branches. It was nothing at all like the Whispering Woods… or even the Evergreen Forest on Eternia. Still, it was a pleasant place now that Casta had finished banishing all the monsters that had infested it during her exile from the throne. True to her soft heart, she hadn't actually killed any but the most violent of them, merely sending the rest to the Forbidden Zone where they could live in relative peace untroubling to - and untroubled by - man. A few natural predators remained in the forest, but none that were likely to want to take on Cringer.

"Are you sure there aren't any wolves here, Adam?" the tiger asked tremulously as he slunk from his hiding place behind a tree that was wholly inadequate to conceal him.

At least, the predators were unlikely to attack provided that they didn't actually know Cringer.

"There aren't any wolves in Mystacore, Cringe," the prince smiled in bemusement as the great cat rose up beneath his hand, encouraging him to scratch. Clearly, either ear would do.

"Oh, that's good," he purred, though Adam wasn't certain whether he was referring to the scratching or the lack of wolves. "I sure wouldn't want to meet any without Teela here to protect us."

Adam stopped scratching and abruptly started walking again. "We don't need her," he snapped. "We can take care of ourselves. I've got the sword, after all. We can always transform."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Cringer muttered, as he crept along behind the prince, flinching at every bird's twitter. "I'd feel better if Teela was here. Then you wouldn't need He-Man to protect us from the – WHAT WAS THAT?" The cat leapt forward, wrapping himself around Adam's calves and nearly making him fall.

"Cringer!" the prince cried in exasperation. "That's a moose, or something like one."

"Do they have fangs?" the cat asked, trembling so hard that Adam felt his own teeth shake in response.

"No," the prince assured him. Then compelled by he knew not what irksome mood, he added, "but the cougars do."

"That's it!" Cringer cried, unwrapping himself and starting to nudge Adam in the direction of the castle. "We're going back for Teela!"

Dropping to his knees, Adam grabbed the tiger's ruff with both hands and looked him squarely in the eyes. "She's on another planet, Cringe! And we're already more than five miles from Castle Mystacore."

Cringer just sniffed, wrapping his tail around him with the remains of his dignity. "Then we better hurry if we want to get her here in time for lunch." He sniffed again, attempting to look regal, but the effect was ruined when another moose call sent him bounding away into the underbrush, tail between his legs.

"Come on!" he howled, and with a sigh, Adam turned to follow after him. His trail wasn't exactly difficult to track. And what was this sudden obsession with Teela? You'd think Cringer was the one in – don't think about it, boy! Just don't think about it!

He was a grown man. He didn't need a bodyguard to hold his hand. He didn't need anyone to hold his hand, blast it! Besides, by now, Teela might not even be at the palace anymore. She was moving away. She wasn't going to be his bodyguard anymore. She didn't really seem to want to be his friend anymore either. He could certainly go for a walk without her… without thinking about her.

She'd looked so amazing in that dress, though. So like herself and yet unlike herself at the same time. The golden gown had suited her, clinging to curves that looked remarkably touchable when she wasn't in uniform, enhancing her fiery beauty in a way that –

Adam stopped dead in his tracks as a warm flush spread through his body, heating his skin and starting a small tense knot of fire in the region of his groin. A low groan escaped his lips as he shifted uncomfortably in the unfamiliar trousers. His old leggings had more stretch than the leather of his new pants, soft as it was. Of all the times… five miles… five long miles. Well this is going to be a fun walk…

By the time he reached the castle, Adam was hot, sweaty and thoroughly disgusted with himself. One bloody day. He'd been on Etheria for one day, and he was already mooning over Teela. It was ridiculous, not to mention uncomfortable. After that amazing night he'd spent with Casta, shouldn't he be fantasizing about her? Of course he should. He could picture it so clearly. The way the moonlight had looked on her skin. The flowery scent of her hair. The starlight reflected in her eyes as his hands –

Sudden, unbidden images of what that encounter might have been like with a slight change in cast had Adam groaning with renewed discomfort. Flushing, the prince hurried to his rooms. He was shedding clothing before the door had completely closed behind him.

"What's wrong, Adam?" Cringer asked through a yawn, and the prince looked up to the see the tiger lying stretched out in the center of the suite's enormous bed.

"Nothing," he said as he yanked his shirt off over his head. Tossing it aside, he turned toward the bathing room. "I'm going to soak for a while. Why don't you take a nap?"

"That's a – " Cringer yawned again " – good idea."

The tiger rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes. Satisfied that he wouldn't be observed, Adam removed the last of his clothing and perched on the edge of the tub while it filled. Cold water would probably fix his problem more effectively, but he just couldn't face it. Besides, there were other ways to handle it. When the water was lapping a few inches below the rim, the prince turned it off and then eased himself in. He leaned back until only his head and the tips of his knees broke the surface. Steam billowed up around him as his mind wandered, his muscles slowly relaxed and his problems slowly wilted away.

When he emerged from the bath wrinkled and dripping, it was to find Cringer sound asleep on the bed and a gilded note propped against a vase of roses on the bedside table. Clutching the towel that hung around his hips in one fist, Adam picked up the note with the other hand and read it with raised eyebrows. He wasn't certain what he was expecting, but it wasn't the rather prosaic little missive that the note turned out to be. Apparently, Queen Castaspella was swamped with matters of state and wouldn't be able to meet him for dinner until much later than originally planned. It wasn't even in her hand, or at least he didn't think it was her writing. No doubt a scribe or secretary had actually penned it.

Relief warred with annoyance, and Adam shook his head, fed up with both emotions. Just because he was an emotional wreck was no reason to think poorly of Casta for dictating her message. She was a ruling queen for pity's sake. "And I am a royal twit."

"If you say so," Cringer mumbled, slitting one eye open. "Could you talk to yourself more quietly, Adam. I need my beauty sleep."

The prince rolled his eyes and plopped down beside the tiger. "Sorry, Cringe," he said, stroking between the cat's ears. "Go back to sleep. I'm going to go exploring a bit more."

Cringer yawned, nuzzled his hand. "Better put some clothes on first," he drawled.

An hour later, Adam was touring one the castle's numerous portrait galleries. The paintings in this display were all twice life-size or even larger, dwarfing ordinary humans. They loomed up the walls of the hallway in which they were hung, though they still fell far short of the ceiling that seemed to float high overhead. He could only assume that the gargantuan size of the portraits was meant to be symbolic since each picture depicted one of Mystacore's late rulers.

Each painting had a plaque beneath it giving the name of the subject, their dates of birth and death as well as the date upon which they ascended the throne. The earliest portraits were more than seven hundred years old and quite different in style from the later depictions. While the older paintings had an almost light-hearted charm to them, the later ones were serious to the point to being gloomy. Even the pictures that depicted whole families were horribly somber. Adam knew which end of the family he preferred.

One fellow who particularly caught Adam's eye had been painted sitting on horseback… sitting _backwards_ on horseback. He looked no more than 30, and he wore a jauntily plumed hat and a bright orange tunic that completely failed to conceal his knobby knees and skinny legs. Bemused, Adam leaned closer and read the nameplate aloud. "Prince Consort Noitat Nacni, husband of Queen Chantra the Just." Curious what relationship existed between Casta and the knobbly-kneed prince, Adam decided he ask to see a family tree later. Looking at the portraits would be much more interesting if he could put the people in them into some kind of historical and familial context aside from names and dates.

And he definitely wanted to know more about Noitat. The guy had guts, no style, but plenty of guts and a good sense of humor to judge by the twinkle the artist had painted in his eyes. As he wandered, pausing now and again when something caught his eye, Adam noticed that the women in the gallery outnumbered by the men by a good two to one. Clearly, Mystacore had a long history of ruling queens and Castaspella had a great deal to live up to.

"Good day, Your Highness."

Adam turned. A young woman wearing the castle livery and carrying a large stack of what looked liked bed linens was regarding him with a warm and friendly smile. He returned it. "Hello, Mistress…" He trailed off, uncertain what to call her.

"Serena, m'lord," she said, her smile revealing dimples in her freckled cheeks.

Her manner was so calm and open, her smile so engaging that Adam found himself immediately at his ease. "That's a lovely name," he said, not in the least worried that she'd think him bold or improper for speaking so familiarly to someone who was clearly a servant.

"Thank you, m'lord. I've always liked it." She bounced slightly on her heels, and shifted the bundle in her arms. Adam firmly resisted the urge to take it from her. He was a guest here, and that might be taken amiss. "Sorry for interrupting your musings, but it's getting on toward dinner, and I thought you might be wanting a drink or something. Can I get you anything?"

"No, thank you, I'm fine," he assured her.

"All right then," she said, bobbed a somewhat awkward curtsy and turned toward one of the corridor's massive doors. Looking back over her shoulder at him, she said, "Would you mind opening this for me, Your Highness?"

Adam hurried to help her, relieved that not everyone in Mystacore was quite so formal as he'd feared.

"Thanks," she said and disappeared into the suite.

Closing the door, the prince returned to his contemplation of the more recent paintings. Near the end of the gallery, Adam stopped before the portrait of a young man with solemn gray eyes and a quiet smile. His back was straight, his shoulders square and his entire bearing bespoke trustworthiness and reliability – if the artist's conception could be depended upon, that was. The prince looked to see who the fellow was and was startled to find no identification attached to the base of the frame. Judging by a faded oval patch on the wood, there had once been a plaque, but it was gone now. When compared to the other portraits of similar artistic style whose names and dates were still attached, it was clear that the picture was a very recent one, perhaps no more than a hundred years old. But none of the nearby portraits provided any further clues to the young man's identity, and Adam found his curiosity growing.

Who was the ashen haired young man?

A door opened behind him, and Adam turned to see Serena exiting the suite, minus the bundle of linens. "Mistress, may I ask you something?"

Eyes widening, Serena walked over to stand beside him. "Yes, m'lord?"

"Do you know who this is?" Adam asked, gesturing at the portrait.

Serena tilted her head and regarded the portrait for a moment. She squinted, as if trying to remember something, then her eyes opened wide again. "Oh, of course," she said. "That's Prince Consort Valoreur. I've heard my gran speak of him. Very well loved, he was. A good and kind man, and very brave, or so the older folk say. He's been greatly missed, I know that much."

"Was he Castaspella's father or grandfather?" Adam asked, intrigued.

Serena blinked at him in astonishment, looking thoroughly nonplussed by the question. "Why, no, Your Highness. He was Queen Castaspella's husband."

Teela paced the confines of the room in which she'd been dumped. Three paces. Stop in front of the bed. Turn. Three paces. Stop in front of the door. Turn ninety degrees. Four paces. Stop in front of the window. Glare at the completely blameless sea. Turn. Four paces. Kick the wall next to the wardrobe. Turn. On and on and on. It was the captain's cabin. Despite its miniscule size, she just knew that it was the captain's cabin.

Well, Captain Tight-Britches was in for a doozy of a shock if he thought that she was going to play mermaid to his fisherman. "Hah!" She kicked the wall with a bit too much force. The loud ka-thunk was quite satisfying, but it left her trying to keep the toes of her left foot from touching the floor for the rest of her brood. She was tired. It had been a very long, very much no fun day, and she was way beyond tired. But there was absolutely no way she was lying down on that bed. Oh no. Uh uh. She might not be able to escape very easily – the porthole, as she'd discovered early on, was too small to climb out of – but she was not going to make things easy for them.

Of course, "them" would have to make an appearance for Teela's show of determination to have an impact. At the moment, she was alone. Tired and alone. Her eyes and her chest burned equally. She ran her hands through her tangle of loose and still damp hair. It hung down her back, a heavy weight adding to her fatigue. Maybe she'd be able to think better if she rested for just a few minutes.

As she stretched out on the bed, Teela's senses were assaulted by the overwhelming fragrance of salt and sand that arose from the covers. Cologne. Like a tidepool gone stagnant. The owner of the cabin must bathe in the stuff. What sort of man would believe that scent to be appealing? Adam smelled so much nicer. Her nose wrinkled as her eyes closed. So much nicer. Like cinnamon cookies on a warm, sunny day…

Teela jerked awake at the sound of a key turning in a lock. Muzzier than she'd prefer, she scrambled awkwardly to her feet. She would not face her captor sitting down. Blood pounded behind her temples as door inched open the merest crack. She still couldn't see anyone when a tentative voice called out to her in a sotto voce whisper.

"M'lady, are you awake?"

Well that didn't sound like a hardened pirate. Teela squinted and tilted her head to the side, trying to see through the dark crack into the hallway beyond. She didn't move a jot closer. She wanted as much room about her as she could get if it came to a fight.

"M'lady?" The door creaked open a bit wider, and Teela blinked as her visitor's face came into view. She had to drop her gaze about a foot and a half to meet his eyes. "Oh, good, you're awake," the fellow said with a shy smile when he saw her standing there. "You'd slept so long; I was getting worried. Is it alright if turn on the lights and come in?"

Teela's mouth dropped open. "Uh…"

Shortie's eyebrows rose as he waited for a more intelligent reply, but he never got one. He was unceremoniously shoved aside as the red-haired pirate strode into the room.

"You hardly need ask her permission, Swen, he boomed as he glared at her. "It's my cabin, and she is a prisoner, after all," Then, taking his chin in his hand and tilting his head to one side, the pirate let his gaze travel from the tips of Teela's boots to the top of her head and back again. It lingered in unsurprising places, and Teela rolled her eyes. She was far from intimidated. Now that she wasn't sprawled on her back or dangling from his shoulder, the pirate seemed shorter. A great deal shorter. She smiled.

"If you're quite done ogling, I'd like to know what ship this is and who you think you are? Or would you prefer that I turn so you can get the rear view as well?"

The pirate's eyes widened. "Well, now that you mention it." He took a step closer, smirking. "You are a lovely sight m'dear, even if you can't be trusted."

Bristling, Teela shifted into a more balanced stance, ready to spring at the man.

"I can't be trusted? That funny, coming from a pirate!"

"Captain?" Swen began, but the man cut him off.

"A pirate who rescued you from the Horde, may I remind you. Quite a dashing rescue too, if I do say so myself." He took another step, bringing himself almost into range of a spin kick.

"But captain –" the little man pleaded, glancing back and forth between them.

Teela scowled, "Do you hold all the women you rescue prisoner?"

"Only the beautiful ones, my lassie. Now why don't you be a good little girl and –"

"But Captain Seahawk, sir! She fell out of the sky!"

"Seahawk!" Teela exclaimed.

"The sky?" the pirate demanded at the same moment.

Their gazes snapped to the little man as he nodded so vigorously that his cap almost fell off. "Yes, sir. Yes M'lady."

Teela looked back to the pirate only to find that he was studying her as well. He started to speak, but this was one opportunity that Teela was not about to let pass her by.

"So, you're Adora's boyfriend," she smirked as he stared at her in shock. "Somehow, I expected her to have better taste."

The pirate's jaw dropped as he gaped at her in evident astonishment. "What? How?" he stuttered, but then he took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders, resuming his previous arrogant expression. "Well, m'lady, you have proved my caution just. Only two sets of people know that Adora and I are – "

"Knocking knees?"

" – close!" he bellowed, looking so far beyond outraged that for a moment Teela feared he might have an apoplexy on the spot. "Two groups,' he continued. "The Rebellion and the Horde. If you were a rebel, I'd know it, so you must be Horde."

"Which is, naturally, why they were holding me prisoner."

"You might have gotten in trouble with – "

"But she fell out of the sky, Captain," the little man insisted. Then, ducking back into the hall beyond the door for a moment, he reemerged with a tray laden with food and drink. "I thought you must be hungry by now," he offered with a shy smile.

Teela couldn't help smiling back. "As a matter of fact, I am. Thank you…"

"Swen."

"Thank you, Swen." Teela sat down at the room's one small table as the smaller pirate set the tray down before her. She was starving, and she wasted no time before starting to eat. The red-haired pirate glared, but did nothing to try and stop either her or his miniscule henchman. After a few minutes of watching her eat, clearly pleased that the fare had been so well received, Swen scurried out mumbling something about duties to perform. That left Teela alone with the captain. She looked up at him through her lashes, contemplating the quirk of fate that had dropped her, of all places, into his lap. Then, between bites, she said – unable to keep the smug tone out of her voice, and not particularly trying to – "You missed one."

"Missed one what?" the pirate replied.

"One group of people who know that you're Adora's boyfriend."

"And who might that be?" he demanded, curling his lip in disbelief.

"Her family."

"Her… Great Sea Serpents and Horny Toads! You must be Teela!"

Teela's head snapped up from her contemplation of her food, and it was all she could do not to choke as food fought to go down the wrong pipe. "How do you know my name?"

"Why, Adora's spoken of you, of course," Seahawk said, dropping onto the bed and reclining with his arms behind his head and his feat crossed. "She's told me more than a few stories of the fiery warrior who has her darling brother so entranced. You're just as beautiful as she described," he announced with a smirk. "Though perhaps not as clean."

"Well if someone hadn't just dumped me in here for hours after fishing me out of the – " Teela shook her head. "I don't have time for this. I have to find Adam and fast. You have to help me," she added desperately.

"Adam? Is the soft little prince here on Etheria?"

"He's not soft," Teela snapped. "At least, not the way you mean it, and yes, he is here, and we have to stop him."

"Stop him from what?" Seahawk asked, puzzled.

"Stop him from marrying Castaspella and ruining everything for both of us!"

"What? That's impossible, my dear. You must be mistaken. Adora says he's in love with you. He would never marry another woman."

Teela flushed, warmth and a certain hollowness spreading from her stomach outward to the rest of her body. "She did?" she asked breathlessly.

"Well, of course. Surely you know he loves you."

That did it. She gulped in a deep breath struggling to maintain her composure, but it was a losing battle. Tears began to course down her cheeks, and Teela buried her face in her arms on the table. She could no longer see, but she could hear Seahawk jump up from the bed and scramble to her side. "Galloping seahorses! You're not… you are… oh for… stop crying, will you? I don't have the foggiest clue how to stop a woman from crying without kissing her, and if I kiss you, Adora will eviscerate me after her brother finishes having his go. Please stop," he said again, patting her awkwardly on the back.

"I can't," Teela sobbed. "I've ruined everything. Everything! Adam has given up on me. He's going to marry Castaspella and become Prince Consort and I'll lose him, and you'll lose Adora because she'll have to stay on Eternia to rule in Adam's place. I've ruined absolutely everything!"

Seahawk's hands withdrew from her as if scorched. For a moment the room was utterly still and silent except for the sound of her crying. Then –

"Swen!" Seahawk bellowed. Teela looked up and watched in startlement as the captain yanked open the door and raced for the deck, still yelling. "Swen! Drop everything and set sail for Mystacore!"

Teela grabbed onto the edge of the table and held on tightly as the ship banked sharply. Then, before she could even dry her tears, the large pirate was back. "All right," he demanded. "Tell me everything and don't spare the gory details."


End file.
